Jonathan Macintosh is a highly successful Pennsylvania orchardman who has formed his own company to produce and package applesauce. Apples can be stored for several months in cold storage, so applesauce production is relatively uniform throughout the year. The recently hired controller for the firm is about to apply the high-low method in estimating the companys energy cost behavior. The following costs were incurred during the past 12 months:

Month	Pints of Applesauce Produced	Energy Cost
January		108,000			$	70,500
February		66,000				65,400
March		69,000				66,600
April		75,000				67,800
May		93,000				69,000
June		99,000				70,200
July		123,000				70,200
August		93,000				68,700
September		93,000				69,300
October		87,000				68,400
November		126,000				72,600
December		120,000				71,350

Required: 1. Use the high-low method to estimate the companys energy cost behavior and express it in equation form. Use the formula Y = a + bX, where Y denotes energy cost for a month and X denotes pints of applesauce produced. 2. Predict the energy cost for a month in which 77,000 pints of applesauce are produced.