With respect to how economists study the economy, which of the following statements is most accurate? a. economists study the past, but they do not try to predict the future. b. economists use "rules of thumb" to predict the future. c. economists devise theories, collect data, and analyze the data to test the theories. d. economists use controlled experiments in much the same way that biologists and physicists do.

1. alwaysrain irrigation, inc. would like to determine capacity requirements for the next four years. currently, two production lines are in place for making bronze and plastic sprinklers. three types of sprinklers are available in both bronze and plastic: 90-degree nozzle sprinklers, 180-degree nozzle sprinklers, and 360-degree nozzle sprinklers. management has forecast demand for the next four years as follows: both production lines can produce all the different types of nozzles. the bronze machines needed for the bronze sprinklers require two operators and can produce up to 12,000 sprinklers. the plastic injection molding machine needed for the plastic sprinklers requires four operators and can produce up to 200,000 sprinklers. three bronze machines and only one injection molding machine are available. what are the capacity requirements for the next four years? (assume that there is no learning.)