Question

An ecologist captured and marked 75 snails with nail polish. One month later, the ecologist found 45 snails with nail polish out of the 90 snails that were caught. What is the estimated total population size?

Answer 1

Answer:

The estimated total population size is 150.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

An ecologist captured 75 snails and marked with nail polish.

After one month, the ecologist caught 90 snails and found 45 snails with nail polish that were caught.

Now, to calculate the estimated total population size of snails.

Marked snails with nail polish ($m$) = $75.$

Total snails caught after 1 month ($c$) = $90.$

Snails found after 1 month with nail polish ($f$) = $45.$

Now, to get the estimated total population size we put formula:

$Estimated\ size=\frac{m\times c}{f} \\\\Estimated\ size=\frac{75\times 90}{45}\\\\Estimated\ size=\frac{6750}{45}\\\\Estimated\ size=150.$

Therefore, the estimated total population size is 150.