Let x be the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
We can set up the proportion:
5742 (total tagged pups) / x = 217 (previously tagged in sample) / 900 (total in sample)
Cross multiplying, we get:
5742 * 900 = 217x
x = (5742 * 900) / 217
x = 23916
Therefore, the estimated total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A is 23,916.
An island has 12 fur seal rookeries (breeding places). To estimate the fur seal pup population in Rookery A, 5742 fur seal pups were tagged in early August. In late August, a sample of 900 pups was observed, and 217 of these were found to have been previously tagged. Use a proportion to estimate the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
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