An island has 12 fur seal rookeries (breeding places). To estimate the fur seal pup population in Rookery A, 6917 fur seal pups were tagged in early August. In late August, a sample of 800 pups was observed, and 175 of these were found to have been previously tagged. Use a proportion to estimate the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
2 answers
An island has 12 fur seal rookeries (breeding places). To estimate the fur seal pup population in Rookery A, 6917 fur seal pups were tagged in early August. In late August, a sample of 800 pups was observed, and 175 of these were found to have been previously tagged. Use a proportion to estimate the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
To estimate the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A, we can set up a proportion using the information provided.
Let x be the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
The proportion can be set up as follows:
6917 (total number of tagged pups) / x (total number of pups in Rookery A) = 175 (number of tagged pups in the sample) / 800 (total number of pups in the sample)
Solving for x, we have:
6917 / x = 175 / 800
6917 * 800 = 175 * x
5533600 = 175x
x = 5533600 / 175
x = 31680
Therefore, the estimated total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A is 31,680.
Let x be the total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A.
The proportion can be set up as follows:
6917 (total number of tagged pups) / x (total number of pups in Rookery A) = 175 (number of tagged pups in the sample) / 800 (total number of pups in the sample)
Solving for x, we have:
6917 / x = 175 / 800
6917 * 800 = 175 * x
5533600 = 175x
x = 5533600 / 175
x = 31680
Therefore, the estimated total number of fur seal pups in Rookery A is 31,680.