1. What is a Punnett Square?

The Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations of offspring from parental alleles. It's named after geneticist Reginald Punnett.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the probability formula:

Where:

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

Explanation: The calculator generates all possible allele combinations from the parental genotypes and counts how many match the target genotype.

3. Importance of Punnett Squares

Details: Punnett squares are fundamental in genetics for predicting inheritance patterns, understanding dominant and recessive traits, and calculating probabilities of specific genotypes in offspring.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter genotypes using letters (e.g., AaBb). Capital letters typically represent dominant alleles while lowercase represents recessive alleles. The calculator assumes independent assortment of genes.

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 multiple genes?
A: Use letters for each gene (e.g., AaBb for two genes). Each letter pair represents one gene's alleles.

Q3: What's the maximum number of genes this can handle?
A: This calculator can handle up to 4 genes (8 alleles total) for practical computation.

Q4: Does this account for linked genes?
A: No, this calculator assumes genes assort independently according to Mendel's law of independent assortment.

Q5: Can I use this for sex-linked traits?
A: For sex-linked traits, you would need to specify the sex chromosomes (X and Y) separately.