Compare5 marksStandard
A student investigated the length of petals (in mm) in two populations of the same wildflower species. Population A grew in a shaded woodland, while Population B grew in an open meadow. The student measured 10 flowers from each population and recorded the following data:
| Petal length (mm) Population A | Petal length (mm) Population B |
|---|---|
| 12 | 18 |
| 14 | 20 |
| 13 | 19 |
| 15 | 21 |
| 16 | 22 |
| 14 | 20 |
| 13 | 19 |
| 15 | 21 |
| 12 | 18 |
| 14 | 20 |
Compare the variation in petal length between the two populations. In your answer, you should:
- describe the type of variation shown by petal length,
- discuss the possible genetic and environmental causes of this variation,
- explain how a t-test could be used to compare the means of these two samples.