AmerPlas, Inc., produces

$16$

$-$

ounce plastic drinking cups that are embossed with the names of prominent beers and soft drinks. It has been observed that sales of the cups match closely the seasonal pattern associated with beer production but that, unlike beer production, there has been a positive trend over time. The sales data, by month, for

$2013$

$$through

$2016$

$$are shown above

a

$.$

Use these data to estimate a linear time trend as follows:SALES

$=$

$$a

$+$

$$b

$($

T

$)$

SALES

$=$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$+$

$/$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$\_$

$($

T

$)($

Circle

$+$

$$or

$$

$$as appropriate

$)$

$$Do your regression results support the notion that there has been a positive time trend in the SALES data? Explain

b

$.$

$$Use your equation to forecast SALES for the

$12$

$$months of

$2017$

:$\text{'}$