Professor John Morton has just been appointed chairperson of the Finance Department at Westland University. In reviewing the departments cost records, Professor Morton has found the following total cost associated with Finance 101 over the last five terms:

Term	Number of Sections Offered			Total Cost
Fall, last year		4		$	13,000
Winter, last year		3		$	7,500
Summer, last year		7		$	13,500
Fall, this year		5		$	10,000
Winter, this year		2		$	6,500

Professor Morton knows that there are some variable costs, such as amounts paid to graduate assistants, associated with the course. He would like to have the variable and fixed costs separated for planning purposes.

1. Prepare a scattergraph plot. (Plot total cost on the vertical axis and number of sections offered on the horizontal axis.)

2-a. Using the least-squares regression method, estimate the variable cost per section and the total fixed cost per term for Finance 101.

2-b. Express these estimates in the form Y = a + bX.

3-a. Assume that because of the small number of sections offered during the Winter Term this year, Professor Morton will have to offer nine sections of Finance 101 during the Fall Term. Compute the expected total cost for Finance 101.

3-b. Can you see any problem with using the cost formula from (2) above to derive this total cost figure?