[EX03-99] Sugar cane growers are interested in the relationship between the acres of crop harvested and the total sugar cane production

(tons) of those acres. The data listed here are for the 2001 crop from 14 randomly selected sugar cane–producing counties in Louisiana.

Acres Production Acres Production 33,700 940,000 20,200 590,000 15,200 460,000 33,800 1,020,000 14,400 440,000 20,500 585,000 2,300 65,000 33,100 1,020,000 30,200 830,000 8,000 200,000 13,100 380,000 41,100 1,130,000 29,600 860,000 17,900 570,000 Source: http://www.usda.gov/nass/graphics/county01/data/

a. These data values have many zeros that will be in the way. Change acres harvested to 100s of acres and production to 1000s of tons of production before continuing.

b. Construct a scatter diagram of acres harvested, x, and tons of production, y.

c. Does the relationship between the variables appear to be linear? Explain.

d. Find the equation for the line of best fit.

e. What is the slope for the line of best fit? What does the slope represent? Explain what it means to the sugar cane grower.