Linear Growth Model:Suppose that the consumption y (in billions of barrels) in year x is given by a linear function,y=mx+b, wherecorresponds to the first year of your data.Then it can be shown that the yearTwhen an amount of oilAhas been consumed is given by the solution to the quadratic equation

m T2+ bT - A+ m + bTo = 0 2 2Values of m used in the linear growth model Values of b used in the linear growth model Values of A used in the linear growth model Values of To used in the linear growth model Prediction of when oil will run out using linear growth modelYear Consumption 1990 24.33 1991 24.44 1992 24.54 1993 24.46 1994 24.97 1995 25.49 1996 26.23 1997 26.69 1998 26.99 1999 27.59 2000 28.21 2001 28.51 2002 28.78 2003 29.37 2004 30.52 2005 30.99