The LawnPlus Fertilizer Company distributes fertilizer to various lawn and garden shops. The company must base its quarterly production schedule on a forecast of how many tons of fertilizer will be demanded from it. The company has gathered the following data for the past three years from its sales records.

a. Compute a three-quarter moving average forecast for quarters 4 through 13 and compute the forecast error for each quarter.
b. Compute a five-quarter moving average forecast for quarters 6 through 13 and compute the forecast error for each quarter.
c. Compute a weighted three-quarter moving average forecast using weights of 0.50, 0.33, and 0.17 for the most recent, next recent, and most distant data, respectively, and compute the forecast error for each quarter.
d. Compare the forecasts developed in parts (a), (b), and (c) using cumulative error. Which forecast appears to be most accurate? Do any exhibit anybias?

Transcribed Image Text:

부 Demand for Fertilizer lton) 105 Year Quarter 150 121 140 170 105 150 150 170 110 130 10 12