Question

For a research project on rodents, 41 chipmunks were tagged and released. Later, researchers counted 320 chipmunks in the area. Of the chipmunks they counted, 16 had tags. To the nearest whole number, what is the best estimate for the chipmunk population?

Answer 1

Let that be x

`\\ \rm\Rrightarrow (41)/(x)=(16)/(320)`

`\\ \rm\Rrightarrow (41)/(x)=(1)/(20)`

`\\ \rm\Rrightarrow x=41(20)=820`

Answer 2

820 rodents in total

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create a proportional equation:

`\sf (present \ rodents)/(present \ marked \ rodents) = (later \ rodents)/(later \ marked \ rodents)`

`\hookrightarrow \sf (x)/(41) = (320)/(16)` ( Let the total population be x )

`\hookrightarrow \sf x= (320*41)/(16)`

`\hookrightarrow \sf x= 820`