In the article "Reproductive Biology of the Aquatic Salamander Amphiuma tridactylum in Louisiana" (Journal of Herpetology [1999]: 100-105), 14 female salamanders were studied. Using regression, the researchers predicted y = clutch size (number of salamander eggs) from x = snout-vent length (in centimeters) as follows:
For the salamanders in the study, the range of snout-vent lengths was approximately 30 to 70 cm.
a. What is the value of the y intercept of the least-squares line?
b. What is the value of the slope of the least-squares line? Interpret the slope in the context of this problem.
c. Would you be reluctant to predict the clutch size when snout-vent length is 22 cm? Explain.