Plant biologists want to estimate the density of kudzu plants within a 20-square kilometer North Carolina forest, but they are arguing about how to proceed. Which of the proposed methods below would best balance efficiency and accuracy? a. Count the kudzu plants in 10 randomly selected square kilometers. Calculate the average to estimate the number per square kilometer.
b. Count the kudzu plants in one randomly selected square kilometer. Use that number as the estimate of the number per square kilometer within the forest.
c. Count the kudzu plants in 30 randomly selected 10-square-meter areas. Calculate the average density per square kilometer and use it to estimate the overall density in the forest.
d. Count the kudzu plants in one randomly selected 5-square-meter area. Divide by 5 to determine the number of kudzu plants per square meter in the forest.