Question - EZ Rental Car offers rental cars in an off-airport location near a major tourist destination in Florida. Management would like to better understand the behavior of the company's costs. One of those costs is the cost of washing cars. The company operates its own car wash facility in which each rental car that is returned is thoroughly cleaned before being released for rental to another customer. Management believes that the costs of operating the car wash should be related to the number of rental returns. Accordingly, the following data have been compiled:
Month Rental
Returns Car Wash
Costs
January 2,490 $ 11,913
February 2,543 $ 13,591
March 2,821 $ 12,705
April 3,144 $ 15,649
May 3,720 $ 17,134
June 5,221 $ 25,055
July 5,612 $ 23,070
August 5,718 $ 24,430
September 4,808 $ 23,660
October 4,458 $ 23,783
November 2,286 $ 11,630
December 3,125 $ 17,381
Required: Using least-squares regression, estimate the fixed cost and variable cost elements of monthly car wash costs.