1. What is a Punnett Square?

A Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations of offspring from parental alleles. It's a fundamental tool in genetics that helps determine the probability of an offspring having a particular genotype.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the basic probability formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Probability (dimensionless)
• \( F \) — Number of favorable outcomes (dimensionless)
• \( T \) — Total number of possible outcomes (dimensionless)

Explanation: The calculator generates all possible combinations of parental alleles and counts how many match the target genotype.

3. Importance of Punnett Squares

Details: Punnett squares are essential for predicting inheritance patterns, understanding genetic disorders, and planning breeding programs in agriculture.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter genotypes as two-letter combinations (e.g., "Aa", "BB"). The calculator is case-insensitive and considers allele order (e.g., "Aa" = "aA").

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between genotype and phenotype?
A: Genotype is the genetic makeup (e.g., "Aa"), while phenotype is the physical expression (e.g., "brown eyes").

Q2: How do I represent dominant and recessive alleles?
A: By convention, dominant alleles are uppercase (A) and recessive lowercase (a).

Q3: Can this calculator handle multiple genes?
A: This version handles single-gene (monohybrid) crosses only. For dihybrid crosses (two genes), more complex analysis is needed.

Q4: What about incomplete dominance or codominance?
A: This calculator assumes complete dominance. For other inheritance patterns, interpretation of results would differ.

Q5: How accurate are Punnett square predictions?
A: They predict probabilities, not certainties. Actual outcomes may vary due to random assortment and other genetic factors.