Michael wants to buy an efficient Smart car that according to the latest EPA standards gets 33 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. The car that Michael picked out costs $18,560. His dad agreed to purchase the car if Michael would pay it off in equal monthly payments for the next 64 months. The equation y= - 290x +18,560 represents the amount, y (in dollars), that Michael owes his father after x months.

(a) How much does Michael owe his dad after 3 months?

(b) Determine the slope of the line and interpret its meaning in the context of this problem.

(c) Interpret the meaning of the slope in the context of this problem.

The amount Michael owes his father increases or decreases by ___ per month.