In a colony of 100 guinea pigs, 16 show the recessive trait of bristly hair. What is the percentage of heterozygotes in the population?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Hardy-Weinberg principle, if q^2 represents the frequency of the recessive phenotype (bristly hair), then q^2 = 16/100 = 0.16. Solving for q gives q = 0.4. Since p + q = 1, p = 0.6. The frequency of heterozygotes (2pq) is 2(0.6)(0.4) = 0.48, or 48%.

In a Colony of 100 Guinea Pigs, 16 Show the Recessive