Question

The table below shows the data for a random sample of fish that were collected from and later released into a lake:

Type of Fish Catfish Grass Carp Bluegill
Number of Fish 52 61 87

How many catfish are estimated to be present if a sample of 800 fish is collected from the lake?208

260

348

372

Answer 1

To estimate the number of catfish present in the lake, you can use the proportion of catfish in the sample to the total number of fish in the sample.

First, calculate the proportion of catfish in the sample:
Proportion of catfish = Number of catfish / Total number of fish in the sample
Proportion of catfish = 52 / (52 + 61 + 87) = 52 / 200 = 0.26

Next, apply the proportion to the total number of fish in the lake:
Estimated number of catfish = Proportion of catfish * Total number of fish in the lake
Estimated number of catfish = 0.26 * 800 = 208

Therefore, an estimated 208 catfish are present in the lake if a sample of 800 fish is collected.