Problema Solution

Eye color is determined by genetic combination. Ler R represent the gene for brown eyes and L represent the gene for blue eyes. Any gene combination including R results in brown eyes. Consider the offspring of a parent with a homozygous brown-eyed, RR, gene combination and a parent with a homozygous brown-eyed, RL, gene combination.

Show how you could use a polynomial to model the possible genetic combinations of the offspring.

What percent of the possible genetic combinations result in brown-eyed offspring?

What percent of the possible genetic combinations are carriers for the blue-eyed gene?

Answer provided by our tutors

R = brown eyes gene (Dominant)

L = blue eyes gene (Recessive)

 

(R, R) combination and (R, L) combination.

 

(R + R)(R + L) = (R*R) + (R*L) + (R*R) + (R*L)

 

Combinations: RR, RL, RR, RL

 

So 100% of the offspring from the two parents will have brown eyes.

However, 50% of the combinations will carry the blue-eyed gene.