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Population Genetics - Practice Problems

1.

Identify each of the variables in the Hardy-Weinberg equation.

p = frequency of the dominant allele (A)

q = frequency of the recessive allele (a)
p2 = frequency of homozygous dominant genotypes in a population (AA)
2pq = frequency of heterozygous genotypes in a population (Aa)
q2 = frequency of homozygous recessive genotypes (and phenotypes) in a population (aa)
2.

What are the five assumptions of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium model?

1. Random mating
2. No mutation
3. Large population size
4. No migration
5. No natural selection

3.

Natural populations do not usually fit the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium model. What does this tell us about
most natural populations?
Most natural populations are experiencing changes in the gene pool over time; they are evolving. At least one of
the five assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium is not being met and the populations are not mating
randomly, have mutations, have small population sizes, are migrating and/or are under selective pressure.

4.

In a population of peppered moths, 25% of the population shows the recessive phenotype of white.
a) Which of the variables does 25% represent?
q2 = 25% = 0.25

b) Given this information, what is the frequency of recessive alleles in the population (q)?

c)

What is the value of p? How do you know?

d) If this population had 1000 moths. How many moths would be Homozygous dominant? Heterozygous?
Homozygous recessive?
, where n = population
size

5.

Sickle-cell anemia is an interesting genetic disease. Normal homozygous individials (SS) have normal blood cells
that are easily infected with the malarial parasite. Thus, many of these individuals become very ill from the
parasite and many die. Individuals homozygous for the sickle-cell trait (ss) have red blood cells that readily
collapse when deoxygenated. Although malaria cannot grow in these red blood cells, individuals often die
because of the genetic defect. However, individuals with the heterozygous condition (Ss) have some sickling of
red blood cells, but generally not enough to cause mortality. In addition, malaria cannot survive well within these
"partially defective" red blood cells. Thus, heterozygotes tend to survive better than either of the homozygous
conditions. If 4% of 1,000 babies in an African population is born with a severe form of sickle-cell anemia (ss),
how many babies will be more resistant to malaria because they are heterozygous (Ss) for the sickle-cell gene?
a) Step 1: Find q2
q2 = 4% = 0.04
b) Step 2: Find q

c)

Step 3: Find p

d) Step 4: Solve for the heterozygous genotype based on the population size (n = 1000)

In this population, 320 babies out of 1,000 will be more resistant to malaria.
6.

In the US, 16% of the population has Rh negative blood, which is recessive. If the student population of Whitney
High School was 2,000, how many students would you expect for each of the three possible genotypes? Find q
first.
a) Step 1: Find q2
q2 = 16% = 0.16
b) Step 2: Find q

c)

Step 3: Find p

d) Step 4: Solve for each genotype based on the population size (n = 2000)

In the student population of Whitney High School, I would expect 480 students to be homozygous
dominant for Rh positive blood, 960 students to be heterozygous for Rh positive blood and 320 students to
have Rh negative blood.

7.

The allele for the ability to roll your tongue is dominant over non-rollers. In a population of 500 people, 100
people are non-rollers. How many people would you expect to be homozygous dominant? Heterozygous?
a) Step 1: Find q2

b) Step 2: Find q

c)

Step 3: Find p

d) Step 4: Solve for each genotype based on the population size (n = 500)

In this population, I would expect 150 people to be homozygous dominant tongue rollers and 250 to be
heterozygous tongue rollers.
8.

In a certain population, the dominant phenotype of a certain trait occurs 91% of the time. What is the frequency
of the dominant allele?
a) Step 1: Find q2
b) Step 2: Find q

c)

Step 3: Find p

The frequency of the dominant allele (p) is 0.7 or 70%.

9.

The gene for the hair pattern called a widows peak is dominant. In a population of 100 people, 50 people have
a widows peak. How many people would you expect for each of the three genotypes?
a) Step 1: Find q2
If 50 out of 100 have a widows peak, then the other 50 people do not have a widows peak

b) Step 2: Find q

c)

Step 3: Find p

d) Step 4: Solve for each genotype based on the population size (n = 100)

In this population, I would expect 8 people to be homozygous dominant for a widows peak, 42 people to
be heterozygous for a widows peak and 50 people to not have a widows peak.
10. Within a population of butterflies, the color brown (B) is dominant over the color white (b). And, 24% of all
butterflies are white. Given this simple information, calculate the following:
a) The percentage of butterflies in the population that are heterozygous.
Step 1: Find q2
Step 2: Find q

Step 3: Find p

Step 3: Find 2pq

50% of the butterflies in this population are heterozygous.

b) The frequency of homozygous dominant individuals.

26% of the butterflies in the population are homozygous dominant.

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/pierce1e/pages/bcsmain_body.asp?s=23000&n=00020&i=23020.01&v=chapter&o=%7C00010%7C00020%7C00030%7C00060%7C&ns=0&t=&ui
d=0&rau=0

http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/lab8/intro.html

http://zoology.okstate.edu/zoo_lrc/biol1114/tutorials/Flash/life4e_15-6-OSU.swf

http://nhscience.lonestar.edu/bioL/hwe.html

http://www.k-state.edu/parasitology/biology198/hardwein.html