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 (dimensionless)
• \( F \) — Favorable outcomes (dimensionless)
• \( T \) — Total possible outcomes (dimensionless)

Explanation: The calculator generates all possible allele combinations from the parental genotypes and calculates the probability of the target genotype appearing in offspring.

3. Importance of Genetic Probability

Details: Understanding genetic probabilities helps predict inheritance patterns, assess risk of genetic disorders, and make informed family planning decisions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter genotypes using standard notation (e.g., AaBb). The calculator is case-insensitive. For baby boomers, this can help understand inheritance patterns they might pass to grandchildren.

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 accurate are Punnett squares?
A: They predict probabilities well for simple Mendelian traits but don't account for linkage or more complex inheritance patterns.

Q3: Why focus on baby boomers?
A: Baby boomers are often grandparents now and may be interested in understanding inheritance patterns for their grandchildren.

Q4: Can this predict complex traits?
A: No, this is for simple single-gene traits. Most human traits are polygenic (influenced by multiple genes).

Q5: What if I get 0% probability?
A: This means the target genotype cannot be produced from the given parental genotypes based on standard inheritance rules.