Video Transcript
Which of the following statements
about Whittaker’s and Linnaeus’s systems of classification is correct? (A) Whittaker classified organisms
into two kingdoms around 300 BCE, whereas Linnaeus classified organisms into five
kingdoms around AD 1,700. (B) Whittaker classified organisms
into five kingdoms over 400 years before Linnaeus classified them into two
kingdoms. (C) Linnaeus classified organisms
into two kingdoms over 200 years before Whittaker classified them into five
kingdoms. (D) Linnaeus and Whittaker came up
with their systems of classification around the same time.
This question is asking us about
the timing of Linnaeus’s and Whitaker’s systems of classification for organisms. In the 18th century, Linnaeus
classified life into two kingdoms. The first was plants, or Regnum
Vegetabile, and animals, or Regnum Animale. In 1975, Robert Whittaker developed
his five-kingdom system of classification. This divided life into Protista,
Fungi, Monera, Plantae, and Animalia.
Now let’s take a look at the
answers. We know that answer choice (D),
Linnaeus and Whittaker came up with their systems of classification around the same
time, must be incorrect. We can also eliminate answer choice
(A) because these timings are way off. These scientists developed their
models in modern times and not in ancient times.
Now let’s look at answer choices
(B) and (C). Simple subtraction between the two
publication dates of their models gives us a 240-year difference. Therefore, answer choice (B) is
incorrect, and answer choice (C) is correct. Linnaeus classified organisms into
two kingdoms over 200 years before Whittaker classified them into five kingdoms.
