Rabbits are very popular domesticated animals, so popular that there are over 300 breeds of domesticated rabbits in the world. You attend a rabbit show and notice that all of the breeds vary in many characteristics, such as size, color, and fur length. You notice there is weight information on the cages of all rabbit individuals at the show and decide to jot down data for two specific rabbit breeds (in pounds):

Question

Breed A: 10, 8, 7, 10, 9, 9, 10, 9
Breed B: 10, 12, 14, 13, 10, 15, 11, 12

In three to five sentences, 1) calculate the average weights of the two rabbit breed groups, 2) describe some factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within the breeds, and 3) describe how you would track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breeds during an investigation.

Answer 1

To calculate the average weights of the two rabbit breeds, we sum the weights for each breed and divide by the number of rabbits in each group. For Breed A, the average weight is (10 + 8 + 7 + 10 + 9 + 9 + 10 + 9) / 8 = 9.25 pounds. For Breed B, the average weight is (10 + 12 + 14 + 13 + 10 + 15 + 11 + 12) / 8 = 12.125 pounds.

Several factors could contribute to the differing weights observed between Breed A and Breed B, such as genetic predispositions, dietary differences, environmental factors, and the age of the rabbits. To track and measure the growth rate of the two breeds, I would conduct a longitudinal study in which I weigh each rabbit at regular intervals (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) over a set period, ensuring consistent feeding and care across the breeds to minimize external variability. This data could then be used to analyze growth patterns and averages across the two groups.