SOLUTION: Biologists tag 82 fish into a lake. Later, they return and collect a random sample of 42 fish, of which 14 had been previously tagged. Approximately how many fish does the lake h

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: Biologists tag 82 fish into a lake. Later, they return and collect a random sample of 42 fish, of which 14 had been previously tagged. Approximately how many fish does the lake h      Log On


   

Question 962498: Biologists tag 82 fish into a lake. Later, they return and collect a random sample of 42 fish, of which 14 had been previously tagged. Approximately how many fish does the lake have?

Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a Proportion problem. The ratio of tagged fish to total fish is the same for the sample taken to check and for the whole lake's worth of fish.

(total tagged fish)/( lake population )=(tagged sample)/(total sample)

Arranged the wording to look good when rendered,
%28totalTaggedFish%29%2F%28LakePopulation%29=%28taggedSample%29%2F%28totalSample%29