Step 1 :First, we need to find the slope of the line that passes through the points (0,51.7) and (4,60.2). The slope of a line is given by the formula \(m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}\).
Step 2 :Using the given points, we find that \(m = \frac{60.2 - 51.7}{4 - 0} = 2.125\).
Step 3 :Next, we use the point-slope form of a line, \(y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)\), to find the equation of the line. Using the point (0,51.7) and the slope we just found, we get the equation \(y = 2.125x + 51.7\).
Step 4 :We can use this equation to predict the egg production in 2000, which corresponds to \(x = 6\). Substituting \(x = 6\) into the equation, we get \(y = 2.125(6) + 51.7 = 64.45\).
Step 5 :Finally, we compare this prediction to the actual data given in the table. The actual egg production in 2000 was 69.7 billion, which is greater than our prediction of 64.45 billion.
Step 6 :\(\boxed{\text{The linear model for the data is } y = 2.125x + 51.7. \text{ The model predicts an egg production of 64.45 billion in 2000, which is less than the actual production of 69.7 billion.}}\)