Question: The scatter plot shows the number of sentenced inmates in the United States per 100,000 residents from 2001 through 2005. Also shown is a line that passes through or near the data points.

a. Use the two points whose coordinates are shown by the voice balloons to find the point-slope form of the equation of the line that models the number of inmates per 100,000 residents, y, x years after 2000.

b. Write the equation from part (a) in slope-intercept form. Use function notation.

c. Use the linear function to predict the number of sentenced inmates in the United States per 100,000 residents in 2010.