Practice: HWE #1

Answer each question. Show all work and place final answers in boxes​. Remember,

p+q=1

p​2​ + 2pq + q​2​ = 1

1. Given a population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with allele frequencies p =0.9 and q =

0.1, determine the frequencies of the three genotypes AA, Aa and aa. (Starting with an
easy one)

AA = (0.9)​2​ =0.81

Aa = 2(0.9)(0.1) = 0.18

Aa = (0.1)​2​ =0.01

2. In a population that is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of the recessive

allele is 0.6, find:

a. Frequency of the dominant allele: ​p = 1- 0.6 = 0.4

b. Percentage of population that is homozygous recessive: (0.6)​2​ = 0.36 = ​36%

c. Percentage of population that is heterozygous: ​2(0.4)(0.6) = 0.48 = 48%

d. Percentage of population that is homozygous dominant: (0.4)​2​ = 0.16 = ​16%

3. Allele W for white wool is dominant over allele w for black wool. In a sample of 900
sheep, 9 are black. Assume the population is in HWE. Find:

a. Percentage of the population that is homozygous recessive. ​9/900 = 0.01 = 1%

b. Frequency of the recessive allele. ​q2​​ = 0.01 → q = 0.1

c. Frequency of the dominant allele. ​p = 1 - 0.1 = 0.9

d. Percentage of population that is heterozygous. ​2(0.1)(0.9) = 0.18 = 18%

e. Percentage of population that is homozygous dominant. ​p2​​ = 0.81 = 81%

4. The compound phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) tastes very bitter to most people. The
inability to taste PTC is controlled by a single recessive allele. In the Caucasian
population, about 70% can taste PTC. Assuming the population is in HWE, find:

a. Frequency of the population that is homozygous recessive. ​30%

b. Frequency of the recessive allele. ​q2​​ = 0.3 → q = 0.55

c. Frequency of the dominant allele. ​p = 1 - 0.55 = 0.45

d. Percentage of population that is heterozygous. ​2(0.55)(0.45) = 0.495 = 49.5%

e. Percentage of population that is homozygous dominant. ​(0.45)​2​ = 0.2025 =

20.25%

5. You are investigating a population of 200 people. 145 have brown eyes, a dominant trait,
and 55 have blue eyes, a recessive trait. Assuming the population is in HWE, Find:

a. Frequency of the population that is homozygous recessive.​ 55/200 = 0.275

b. Frequency of the recessive allele. ​q2​​ = 0.275 → q = 0.52

c. Frequency of the dominant allele. ​p = 1 - 0.52 = 0.48

d. How many (# not the frequency) of the people are homozygous dominant for
brown eyes? ​p2​​ = 0.2304 → (0.2304)(200) = 46.08

46 people

e. If everyone reproduces and the population grows to 550 people but remains in
HWE, how many people would you expect to have blue eyes? ​(0.275)(550) =
151.25

151 people

6. In a tropical forest there is a species of bird that has a variable tail length. In one
population of 2000 birds, 614 have long tails (TT), 973 have medium length tails (Tt),
and 413 birds have short tails (tt). You cannot assume this population is in HWE. Find:

a. Frequency of the population that is homozygous recessive. ​413/2000 = 0.2065

b. Frequency of the population that is heterozygous.​ 973/2000 = 0.4865

c. Frequency of the population that is homozygous dominant.​ 614/2000 = 0.3070

d. Frequency of the dominant allele. ​2(614) + 973 = 2201 → 2201/4000 = 0.55025

e. Frequency of the recessive allele. ​2(413) + 973 = 2212 → 1799/4000 = 0.44975

f. If the population WAS in HWE, what would the frequency of the homozygous
recessive genotype be? ​q2​​ = 0.2023 = 20.23%

g. If the population WAS in HWE, what would the frequency of the heterozygous
genotype be? ​2pq = 2(0.55025)(0.44975) = 0.4949 = 49.49%

h. If the population WAS in HWE, what would the frequency of the homozygous
dominant genotype be? p​2​ = ​0.3028 = 30.28%

i. Compare answers a-c to f-h. Is this population in HWE? ​Yes.

j. If not, which trait is favored? Also, what mode of selection is occurring? ​N/a.