1. What is a 2x2 Punnett Square?

A Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations of offspring from parental alleles. The 2x2 version is used for monohybrid crosses (single trait inheritance).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Probability of target genotype (0 to 1)
• \( F \) — Number of favorable outcomes in the 2x2 square (0 to 4)

Explanation: The calculator generates all possible allele combinations from two parents 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/recessive relationships, and calculating probabilities of specific traits.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter single-letter alleles for each parent (e.g., A and a for dominant/recessive). The target genotype should be a two-letter combination (e.g., Aa). Case matters (A ≠ a).

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: Typically, uppercase for dominant (A) and lowercase for recessive (a).

Q3: What if I get a probability of 0?
A: This means the target genotype is impossible with the given parental alleles.

Q4: Can this calculator handle codominance?
A: No, this simple 2x2 calculator assumes complete dominance/recessive relationships.

Q5: How do I interpret a 25% probability?
A: There's a 1 in 4 chance that offspring will have that specific genotype.