Forecasting for logistics: what to forecast? What information do we need to monitor and collect?

A rental car manager estimates the number of full$-$size sedans rented per week so that she can maintain an adequate number of cars in the lot. Data for the past $10$ weeks are shown here:

Week $123$ rentals

Week $224$ rentals

Week $332$ rentals

Week $426$ rentals

Week $531$ rentals

Week $628$ rentals

Week $732$ rentals

Week $835$ rentals

Week $926$ rentals

Week $1024$ rentals

forecast through week $11$ needed by using a five$-$week moving average.

forecast through week $11$ needed by using a $3-$period weighted moving average, giving the weight of $0\mathrm{.}5$ to the most recent week, $0\mathrm{.}3$ to the second week and $0\mathrm{.}2$ to the third week.

Forecast needed using exponential smoothing method with $\backslash$alpha $=0\mathrm{.}2.$ Forecast for week $1$ was $22.$

use a regression model Y$=26\mathrm{.}33+0\mathrm{.}3212$X