Could you solve a Hardy-Weinberg problem that only gives you the percentage of heterozygous individuals in a population?

Question

alphadxg · Answer

No, you would also need the population as well.

anonymous · Answer

@Nesuniken @alphadxg No.$$p ^{2}+2pq+q^{2}=1$$ 2pq is our heterozygotes. If we only know the percent you cannot solve because the relationship between p and q means that any value of p and q that gives you the appropriate ratio is a valid p and q. 

It is like saying solve for x and y in x*y=1000. There isn't one answer, period. And, contrary to what alphadxg says, knowing the population does not do anything for you either. If you have a pop with 1000 individuals and 10% hetero, that leaves 900 that are homozygous. The issue there is again, of those 900 how many are homozygous dominate and how many are homozygous recessive, you simply cannot tell.

anonymous · Answer

Thanks

alphadxg · Answer

In all Respect mrdoldum, for his questions he asked if you could solve it, and I insisted that in order to solve his questions, he would also need to know the population. But you are right also.

anonymous · Answer

@alphadxg Well, I took the way you used population to mean total # of individuals, which on its own, does not get you any closer to solving the problem. Basically, you simply have to have enough info to find p or q before you can solve for the other and for 2pq.