The Hammaker Company’s newest product has had the following sales during its first five months: 5 17 29 41 39. The sales manager now wants a forecast of sales in the next month. (Use hand calculations rather than an Excel template.)
(a) Use the last-value method.
(b) Use the averaging method.
(c) Use the moving-average method with the 3 most recent months.
(d) Given the sales pattern so far, do any of these methods seem inappropriate for obtaining the forecast? Why?