Jerry studies bottlenose dolphins and wants to estimate the population in a certain region. Jerry catches 170 dolphins, marks them, and releases them. Later on, Jerry catches 240 dolphins and observes that 12 of them are marked. To the nearest whole number, what is the best estimate for the dolphin population?
Q. Jerry studies bottlenose dolphins and wants to estimate the population in a certain region. Jerry catches 170 dolphins, marks them, and releases them. Later on, Jerry catches 240 dolphins and observes that 12 of them are marked. To the nearest whole number, what is the best estimate for the dolphin population?
Set up proportion: Set up the proportion based on the capture-recapture method.Marked dolphins found: 12Total dolphins in second capture: 240Total dolphins marked initially: 170Let N be the estimated dolphin population.The proportion is set as:24012=N170
Solve proportion: Solve the proportion by cross-multiplying to find N.12×N=170×240
Continue solving: Continue solving for N.12×N=40800N=1240800N=3400
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