Answer:
The following are good initial hypotheses to test in order to help the purchaser optimize their spending:
- Office supply prices remain the same throughout the year.
- Office supply prices increase seasonally.
It is important to determine whether or not office supply prices fluctuate throughout the year in order to know when to place orders to optimize price. Additionally, if it is discovered that office supply prices do increase seasonally, understanding the pattern of the price increases will be important for budgeting purposes.
It is not necessary to assume that the budget for office supplies should increase or can remain the same without further investigation of the specific office supply needs and prices.