The table below shows the population of a small town from 1960 to 1990.
Complete the following in the Answer Book:
Write an equation for a line of best fit. Let x represent the years since 1960. Let y represent the population of the town. (If you choose to draw a graph to help you write the equation, use the grid provided in the Answer Book.)
What is the slope of your equation? What does the slope represent in the context of this problem?
Using your equation, estimate the population in the year 1995. Use mathematics to explain how you determined your answer. Use words, symbols, or both in your explanation.
Is your equation a good model to predict the population of this town in the year 2025? Use mathematics to justify your answer.