A Proficient Engineer Can Easily Design Skeletal Structures That Are

question 7

Multiple Choice

A proficient engineer can easily design skeletal structures that are more functional than those currently found in the forelimbs of such diverse mammals as horses, whales, and bats. The actual forelimbs of these mammals do not seem to be optimally arranged because

• A) natural selection has not had sufficient time to create the optimal design in each case, but will do so given enough time.
• B) in many cases, phenotype is not merely determined by genotype, but by the environment as well.
• C) though we may not consider the fit between the current skeletal arrangements and their functions excellent, we should not doubt that natural selection ultimately produces the best design.
• D) natural selection is generally limited to modifying structures that were present in previous generations and in previous species.

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Definitions:

Independent Random Sampling

A method of sampling where each member of the subset is chosen randomly and entirely by chance, ensuring that every subset of the population has an equal opportunity of selection.

Pooled Estimator

A method to estimate a common mean or variance from several different populations by combining or pooling sample statistics.

Pairwise Comparisons

A process of comparing entities in pairs to judge which is preferred or has a greater amount of some quantitative property.

Tukey's Method

A statistical technique used to identify outliers within a dataset, often used in conjunction with analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests.