n. in statistical analysis, refers to a type of sampling method that estimates population size. To estimate the population of frogs in a pond, a random sample of frogs (n=30) would first have to be captured and tagged, after which they are released. The pond is then resampled such that the fraction of tagged frogs caught would be the basis of estimating the total population of frogs in the pond.
CAPTURE-TAG-RECAPTURE SAMPLING: “Capture-tag-recapture sampling is one of the best ways to test population size in a natural environment.”