represents an estimate of the average cost of gas for year x starting in 1997 ("Consumer price index," 2006). The year 1997 would be represented by x = 1, for example, because it is the first year in the study. Similarly, 2005 would be year 9, or x = 9.
a. What year would be represented by x = 4?
b. What x-value represents the year 2018?
c. What is the slope, or rate of change, of this equation?