Question

what does Hamilton's rule tell us?

a) when relatedness is low, benefit to the recipient is lower and the cost to the actor is low, then the natural selection should favor individuals that help their kin.

b) animals need to calculate Br and C

c) if Br > C then genes encoding altruistic acts towards kin will tend to spread in a population

d) when relatedness is low, benefit to the recipient is high, and the cost to the actor is high, natural selection should still favor individuals that help their kin.

Answer 1

Hamilton's rule states that natural selection favors altruistic genes when the product of relatedness between genes and benefit to the recipient is greater than the cost to altruistic gene.

Mathematically it can be shown as Br>C (where, B is the benefit to recipient, r is the relatedness and C is cost). Greater the relatedness and benefit, more the chances of selection of genes that favor kins. The correct choice should be:

(c) if Br > C then genes encoding altruistic acts towards kin will tend to spread in a population.