Listed below are the numbers of Florida manatee deaths resulting from natural causes for each year beginning with 1980 (based on data from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation). Is the best model a very good model? Why or why not? Find the projected number of such deaths for 2006. The actual number of natural deaths in 2006 was 81. How does the actual number of natural deaths compare to the projected number of natural deaths?

5 9 41 6 24 19 1 10 15 18 21 13 20 22 33 35 101 42 12 37 37 34 59 102 25 88

Construct a scatterplot and identify the mathematical model that best fits the given data. Assume that the model is to be used only for the scope of the given data, and consider only linear, quadratic, logarithmic, exponential, and power models.