Evolution In Action: Natural Selection Math Problem (Math Problem Sample)

Mark
Class, Subject
Name of Professor
October 6, 2019
Evolution in Action: Natural Section
1. a) What observations can you make about the overall shape of each graph? (Imagine that you are drawing a line that connects the tops of the horizontal bars.)
In the graph of ground Finches that did not survive, there is an overall increase in the number of birds as the beak depths increase. However, there are sharp declines in the number of birds at beak lengths 8.25mm, 8.75mm,10mm and 10.75mm. In the graph of Finches that survived the drought, an overall increase in the number of birds is also observed as the lengths of the beaks increase.
b) What do the shapes of the two graphs indicate about the distribution of beak depth measurements in these two groups of medium ground finches?
The shapes of the graphs indicate that there are greater number of birds with longer beak depths, especially for beak depths that are above the mean value for that matter.
2. Compare the distribution of beak depths between survivors and nonsurvivors. In your answer, include the shape of the distributions, the range of the data, and the most common measurements.
For the nonsurvivors, more birds are much more clustered around the mean beak depth to the right of the graph while the ones on the left side of mean beak depth are much skewed as is represented by a greater deviation from the mean as compared to the survivors. The common measurements for the nonsurvivors are values ranging from 9mm to 9.75mm, where the mean beak depth lies for that matter. For the survivors, deviation from the mean are less compared to the nonsurvivors. The beak depth measurements are less skewed to the left of the mean depth meaning that the birds have acquired the necessary adaptations necessary for survival. Common measurements for the survivors are within the range of 9mm to 10.25mm, where the mean beak length lies.