# Math Help - Direct Variation Word Problem

1. ## Direct Variation Word Problem

To estimate the number of flamingos in the Lake Manyara flock, the Kenyan Wildlife Service banded 600 birds. At a later time, they caught 1000 birds and found that 48 were banded. About how large is the entire flock?

I have no clue how to approach this problem. How do I identify x and y?? What's the setup of the equation?? Please Help!! Thanks!

2. Originally Posted by EyesThatSparkle02
To estimate the number of flamingos in the Lake Manyara flock, the Kenyan Wildlife Service banded 600 birds. At a later time, they caught 1000 birds and found that 48 were banded. About how large is the entire flock?

I have no clue how to approach this problem. How do I identify x and y?? What's the setup of the equation?? Please Help!! Thanks!
Let N be the size of the entire flock. Solve for N:

$\frac{600}{N} = \frac{48}{1000}$.

If you'd posted in the Probability and Statistics subforum with a title like "Find the Best Estimate" I'd probably give a justification as to why (after making some assumptions) equating the ratios leads to the best estimate.