Question

A single strand of DNA helix consists of 100 nitrogenous base pairs. On one strand, 36 of the bases are adenine and 24 are cytosine. For the complimentary strand of DNA, which would complete the proper base pairing? 36 guanine 36 thymine 24 cytosine 24 thymine

Answer 1

36 thymine (matches with 36 adenine)
24 guanine (matches with 24 cytosine)

Answer 2

36 thymine and 24 guanine.

Step-by-step explanation:

A DNA is a double helix structure in which each helix consists of complementary bases.

The complementary bases are -

a) Adenine and thymine

b) guanine and cytosine

Thus above two pairs of nucleotide bases pair with each other in equal amount .

Thus , if 36 bases of adenine has to form a pair with thymine there must be 36 bases of thymine

Like wise, if 24 bases of cytosine has to form a pair with guanine there must be 24 bases of guanine

Thus , the correct answer is option 36 thymine and 24 guanine.