Quadratic Function Applications

The Biology Project > Biomath > Quadratic Functions > Applications > Population Genetics

Quadratic Functions Applications

Population Genetics

Problem 3- Find the frequency of the A allele that will maximize the frequency of the Aa genotype.

Suppose you want to maximize the frequency of heterozygotes in the population. What frequency of the A allele would maximize the frequency of the Aa genotype? In otherwords, what value of p will maximize 2pq?

Recall that the Hardy- Weinberg Law states that after one generation of random mating, the frequencies of the three genotypes in the population are given by:

f_AA = p²,

f_Aa = 2pq,

f_aa = q².

HINT: How can you write 2pq as a quadratic function?

A.	p = 1
B.	p = 0.75
C.	p = 0.5
D.	p = 0.25
E.	p = 0

Problem 4 - Find the frequency of the A and a alleles in a given population.

The Biology Project > Biomath > Quadratic Functions > Applications > Population Genetics

The Biology Project
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
The University of Arizona
May 2006
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