There is a gene that causes people to have crumbly earwax. This gene is expressed as a complete dominant: Individuals who are homozygous dominants (CC) or heterozygous (Cc) have crumbly ear wax. Homozygous recessives (cc) have gooey earwax. There are 100 people, 64 of whom have crumbly earwax. Assuming Hardy-Weinberg conditions, what is the frequency of the c allele on Paradise Island?

0.2

Explanation:

According to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,

p + q = 1

p² + 2pq + q² = 1

where,

p = frequency of dominant allele

q = frequency of recessive allele

p² = frequency of dominant homozygous genotype

2pq = frequency of heterozygous genotype

q² = frequency of recessive homozygous genotype

Here,

total people = 100

crumbly earwax = 64

p² = 64 / 100 = 0.64

p = √0.64 = 0.8

Frequency of the c allele = q

q = 1-p

= 1-0.8 = 0.2