5.2+Estimating+a+Deer+Population+-+0910



RA 11/21/09 Block 7E
 * __Big Idea:__** Many important practical and mathematical applications involve comparing quantities of one kind or another; it is important to know which method to use and how we should use them.
 * __Essential Question:__** What methods are there for comparing things?


 * __Problem 5.2 – Estimating Deer Populations__**


 * 1. Remove exactly 100 beans from the container, and mark them with a pen or marker.**

2. **Put the marked beans back into the container and shake or mix them with the unmarked beans.**


 * 3.With out looking at the beans grab a handful of about 30 beans. Record the number of marked and unmarked beans in the handful. Remix the beans and repeat 4 more times, writing down the number of unmarked beans and marked beans in every scoop.**
 * Marked Beans || Unmarked Beans ||
 * 6 || 47 ||
 * 8 || 51 ||
 * 6 || 48 ||
 * 3 || 35 ||
 * 7 || 55 ||

If there are 100 marked beans and 6 (the number of marked beans averaged) marked beans for every 47 (the number of unmarked beans averaged) unmarked beans, then 6 x 16.66 = 100, and 47 x 16.66 = 783. That is the number of unmarked beans, all you have to do to find the total is add 100 beans because that is the number of marked beans.
 * A)** **Study the data you collected. Use the data to estimate the number of beans in your container. Explain how you made this estimate.**

Biologists may count deer populations by counting the amount of deer in one measurement of land, then taking that number of deer and multiplying it by the total number of that measurement of land in the deer habitat.
 * B)** **Based of what you learned form this experiment, how do you think biologists count deer populations?**

· **Think of ways in which this method might give a poor estimate of the actual number of deer in a population. Record your ideas.** This method may not be so accurate because the random measurement of land they choose could have a cluster of deer for some reason such as fresh food. Then when they multiply they would over estimate. There also may be hardly any deer for a reason such as there was a forest fire, in which case they might under estimate.
 * __Problem 5.2 Follow Up__**