Bed Bath & Beyond is a nationwide chain of retail stores that sell a wide assortment of merchandise, including domestics merchandise and home furnishings, as well as food, giftware, and health and beauty care items. The following data (stored in Bed & Bath) show the number of stores open at the end of the fiscal year from 1993 to 2010:
a. Plot the data.
b. Compute a linear trend forecasting equation and plot the results.
c. Compute a quadratic trend forecasting equation and plot the results.
d. Compute an exponential trend forecasting equation and plot the results.

e. Using the forecasting equations in (b) through (d), what are your annual forecasts of the number of stores open for 2011 and 2012?
f. How can you explain the differences in the three forecasts in (e)? What forecast do you think you should use? Why?

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Year Stores Open Year Stores Open 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 38 45 61 80 108 141 186 241 311 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 396 519 629 721 809 971 1,037 1,100