7. A new vaccine is tested over a six-month period in one health authority.
The table shows the number of new cases of the disease, \(d\), reported in the \(m\) th month after the trials began.
| \(m\) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| \(d\) | 102 | 69 | 61 | 58 | 52 | 48 |
A doctor suggests that a relationship of the form \(d = a + b x\) where \(x = \frac { 1 } { m }\) can be used to model the situation.
- Tabulate the values of \(x\) corresponding to the given values of \(d\) and plot a scatter diagram of \(d\) against \(x\).
- Explain how your scatter diagram supports the suggested model.
You may use
$$\Sigma x = 2.45 , \quad \Sigma d = 390 , \quad \Sigma x ^ { 2 } = 1.491 , \quad \Sigma x d = 189.733$$
- Find an equation of the regression line \(d\) on \(x\) in the form \(d = a + b x\).
- Use your regression line to estimate how many new cases of the disease there will be in the 13th month after the trial began.
- Comment on the reliability of your answer to part (d).