Flowers in the population of plants you are studying can be red or pink. The allele for red flowers (R) is completely dominant over the allele for pink flowers (r). If 14% of the population has pink flowers, how would you determine the frequency of the recessive allele?

The answer is 0.37 or 37%

p - the frequency of dominant allele R for red flowers

q - the frequency of dominant allele r for pink flowers

p² - the frequency of individuals RR with red flowers

2pq - the frequency of individuals Rr with red flowers

q² - the frequency of individuals rr with pink flowers

We know that, according to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium:

p² + 2pq + q² = 1

We need to determine the frequency of the recessive allele: q = ?

We know that 14% of the population has pink flowers: q² = 14%

Therefore:

q² = 14% = 14/100 = 0.14

q = ?

q = √q² = √0.14 = 0.37 = 0.37 * 100% = 37%

The answer is A

q = √q² = √0.14 = 0.37 = 0.37 * 100% = 37%