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

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frequency of the recessive allele can be calculated using the Hardy-Weinberg principle. If 16 out of 100 guinea pigs show the recessive trait, it means that 16% or 0.16 of the population is homozygous recessive (qq). The frequency of the recessive allele (q) can be found by taking the square root of 0.16, which gives 0.4. Therefore, the frequency of the recessive allele in the population is 0.4 or 40%.

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