Question

In a haploid population of constant size 300 , you randomly select two individuals. What is the chance that they both descend from the same parent in the previous generation, assuming each individual is equally likely to reproduce (no selection)?

1. 1/300
2. 1/150
3. 1/90000
4. 1/22500

Answer 1

The chance that two randomly selected individuals from a haploid population of constant size 300 both descend from the same parent in the previous generation is 1/90,000.

Step-by-step explanation:

The chance that two randomly selected individuals from a haploid population of constant size 300 both descend from the same parent in the previous generation can be calculated using the principle of random segregation. Each individual has an equal chance of reproducing and passing on their alleles to the next generation. In this case, the chance that the first individual descends from a specific parent is 1 in 300. Similarly, the chance that the second individual descends from the same parent is also 1 in 300. Therefore, the chance that both individuals descend from the same parent is the product of their individual chances, which is (1/300) * (1/300) = 1/90,000.