GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2003-12 > 1070380466


From: John S Walden <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Measuring Genetic Distances
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 10:54:26 -0500
References: <REME20031201231719@alum.mit.edu><5mJ4zC.A.4z.C54w_@lists5.rootsweb.com> <REME20031201231719@alum.mit.edu>
In-Reply-To: <1070377604.3004ae733cc22@www.email.arizona.edu>


At 08:06 AM 12/2/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>Suppose you drive by and see the drunk
>sitting one block from the bar. From this observation can you guess at how
>many times the drunk has moved?

Hmmmmm I see the problem a bit different

I drive by and see two drunks setting some number of benches apart
[possibly zero].
I do NOT know where the bar is and I do not know for sure they even left the
same bar at the same time.
But lets ASSUME they both left the same bar at the same time the question is
how far did they travel [genetic distance?] and where is the bar located
[Ancestral value of the
marker?] and when did they leave [when did the MCRA live?]

Now IF I have many [how many to I need for this to work? does it depend on
common surname?]
men [to measure], not just 2, I may find I have a cluster of men on one bench
Thus I can say the bar is at THIS bench - right? Is a simple 2 out of 3
good enough?
[What if I have 2 on one bench and one 2 or 3 benches away - is the bar
still at the
bench with the 2?]
Given I have this "enough drunks"
I now have a different problem as I [think I] know where the bar is thus I
can calculate
how far they all moved and thus when they all started

John W.

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