Final answer:
To find out the equivalent lifespan of a giant tortoise that lived proportionally the same as a gastrotrich that died after 50 hours, we use a proportion based on the gastrotrich's total lifespan of 72 hours. We find that the corresponding lifespan for the tortoise would be approximately 125 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves comparing the lifespans of two vastly different species, the giant tortoise and the gastrotrich, using proportions to find out how long a giant tortoise would live if it had a lifespan proportional to that of a gastrotrich that died after 50 hours. Since a giant tortoise can live 175 years and the gastrotrich lives for 3 days (72 hours), we first calculate the proportion of the gastrotrich's life completed after 50 hours, and then apply this proportion to the tortoise's potential lifespan.
If the gastrotrich died after 36 hours, it lived half its lifespan, equivalent to the tortoise living 87.5 (half of 175) years. Therefore, if a gastrotrich lived 50 hours, it lived 50/72 of its lifespan. To find out the equivalent proportion of the tortoise's potential lifespan, we multiply 175 years by 50/72:
Equivalent tortoise lifespan = 175 years * (50/72)
To calculate this, we do the following:
- First, simplify the fraction: 50/72 = 25/36 after dividing both the numerator and denominator by 2.
- Then, multiply this simplified fraction by the tortoise's potential lifespan: 175 years * (25/36).
- Compute the product: (175 * 25) / 36 = 4375 / 36 ≈ 121.53 years.
The answer is not exactly one of the multiple-choice options, but it is closest to 125 years (option b). Thus, the closest proportional lifespan for the tortoise, if its lifespan matched that of a gastrotrich that died after 50 hours, would be approximately 125 years.