A researcher is studying the color of grasshopper exoskeletons. Assume that this phenotype is caused by the action of two alleles. Green grasshoppers have the genotype AA and brown grasshoppers have the genotype aa. If the frequency of the A allele in this population is 0.2, what is the frequency of the a allele

0.8

Explanation:

Allele frequency reveals to us how frequent an allele is within a population.

It is estimated by numbering the amount of times of it occurrences divided by the overall amount of copies of the gene.

Mathematically:

Allele Frequency,

= amount of times the allele occurs

overall amount of copies of the gene.

The alleles frequency of a gene within a population is 1.

Let's recall the hardy Weinberg equation

p + q = 1

Where,

p = the frequency of dominant allele

q = the frequency of recessive allele.

Given,

Frequency of dominant allele (green color), p = 0.2

Frequency of recessive allele, q = ?

P + q = 1

0.2 + q = 1

q = 1 - 0.2

q = 0.8