The frequency of a deleterious recessive disease in a large, randomly-mating population is 1 in 1000. Calculate the probability of an individual being a carrier for this recessive disease?

a) 0.74

b) 0.06

c) 0.03

d) 0.001

e) All individuals will be homozygous

The frequency of carriers for the recessive disease is 0.062.

Explanation:

The frequency of recessive allele in the generation is 1 in 1000.

Let the frequency be q²=1/1000.

q=√1/1000.

q=0.032.

Let p be the frequency of dominant allele

p+q=1 (According to hardy weinberg equillibrium)

p=1-q

p = 1-0.032

p=0.968.

The frequency of carriers for the recessive disease = 2*p*q

=2*0.032*0.968

=0.062.