Quantitative comparisions between growth of the living systems can be made by –

Options

A. Absolute growth rate
B. Relative growth rate
C. Exponential growth rate
D. Both (1) & (2)

Answer

To answer the question regarding quantitative comparisons between the growth of living systems, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Growth Measurement**:
- Growth in living systems can be quantified in different ways. The two primary methods for measuring growth are absolute growth rate and relative growth rate.

2. **Absolute Growth Rate**:
- The absolute growth rate refers to the total growth of an organism over a specific period of time. It is calculated by measuring the increase in size, weight, or volume of the organism during that time frame.
- Formula:
\[ \text{Absolute Growth Rate} = \frac{\text{Change in Size}}{\text{Time}} \]

3. **Relative Growth Rate**:
- The relative growth rate, on the other hand, measures the growth of an organism in relation to its size at the beginning of the measurement period. It provides a percentage increase and is useful for comparing growth rates of organisms of different sizes.
- Formula:
\[ \text{Relative Growth Rate} = \frac{\text{Absolute Growth Rate}}{\text{Initial Size}} \times 100 \]

4. **Conclusion**:
- Both absolute growth rate and relative growth rate are essential for quantitatively comparing the growth of living systems. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that quantitative comparisons can be made by both methods.

5. **Final Answer**:
- The correct option is D: Absolute growth rate and relative growth rate (both 1 and 2).