Final answer:
The frequency of the A allele in the population is calculated to be 0.54 or 54%. The closest option is (B) 0.6, but it is not the exact frequency as calculated. The correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the frequency of the A allele in the population, we must count the total number of A alleles and divide it by the total number of alleles. There are 10 AA individuals (each contributing two A alleles), 5 Aa individuals (each contributing one A allele), and 8 Aa individuals (contributing no A alleles). Thus, the total number of A alleles is (10 × 2) + (5 × 1) + (8 × 0) = 20 + 5 + 0 = 25 A alleles.
The total number of all alleles is twice the number of individuals because each organism has two alleles for a given gene. Therefore, the total number of alleles is (10 + 5 + 8) × 2 = 46 alleles. The frequency of the A allele is 25 A alleles / 46 total alleles = 0.543…, which we can round to 0.54 or 54%. When none of the options provided in the multiple-choice question fits the calculated answer (0.54), it is important to either check the calculation again or consider reporting an error in the question.
For this specific question, assuming that the calculations are correct, since no provided answer (A) 0.5, (B) 0.6, (C) 0.7, (D) 0.8 accurately represents the calculated allele frequency, you would need to communicate this issue to the relevant parties for clarification. The closest choice to the calculated frequency of the A allele (54%) is option (B) 0.6, but it does not accurately reflect the exact frequency calculated.