Punnett square

(noun)

a graphical representation used to determine the probability of an offspring expressing a particular genotype

Related Terms

  • heterozygous
  • monohybrid
  • homozygous

Examples of Punnett square in the following topics:

  • The Punnett Square Approach for a Monohybrid Cross

    • A Punnett square applies the rules of probability to predict the possible outcomes of a monohybrid cross and their expected frequencies.
    • A Punnett square, devised by the British geneticist Reginald Punnett, can be drawn that applies the rules of probability to predict the possible outcomes of a genetic cross or mating and their expected frequencies.To prepare a Punnett square, all possible combinations of the parental alleles are listed along the top (for one parent) and side (for the other parent) of a grid, representing their meiotic segregation into haploid gametes .
    • Because each possibility is equally likely, genotypic ratios can be determined from a Punnett square.
    • A self-cross of one of the Yy heterozygous offspring can be represented in a 2 × 2 Punnett square because each parent can donate one of two different alleles.
    • Punnett square analysis can be used to predict the genotypes of the F2 generation.
  • Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment

    • Arranging these gametes along the top and left of a 4 × 4 Punnett square gives us 16 equally likely genotypic combinations.
    • These proportions are identical to those obtained using a Punnett square.
    • When more than two genes are being considered, the Punnett-square method becomes unwieldy.
  • Mendel's Law of Segregation

    • The equal segregation of alleles is the reason we can apply the Punnett square to accurately predict the offspring of parents with known genotypes.
  • Sex-Linked Traits

    • Punnett square analysis is used to determine the ratio of offspring from a cross between a red-eyed male fruit fly (XWY) and a white-eyed female fruit fly (XwXw).
  • Genetic Linkage and Violation of the Law of Independent Assortment

    • If you create the Punnett square with these gametes, you will see that the classical Mendelian prediction of a 9:3:3:1 outcome of a dihybrid cross would not apply.
  • Chi-Square Probability Table

    • Areas in the chi-square table always refer to the right tail.
  • Chi Square Distribution

    • Define the Chi Square distribution in terms of squared normal deviates
    • The Chi Square distribution is the distribution of the sum of squared standard normal deviates.
    • Therefore, Chi Square with one degree of freedom, written as χ2(1), is simply the distribution of a single normal deviate squared.
    • A Chi Square calculator can be used to find that the probability of a Chi Square (with 2 df) being six or higher is 0.050.
    • The Chi Square distribution is very important because many test statistics are approximately distributed as Chi Square.
  • Factoring Perfect Square Trinomials

    • When a trinomial is a perfect square, it can be factored into two equal binomials.
    • Note that if a binomial of the form $a+b$ is squared, the result has the following form: $(a+b)^2=(a+b)(a+b)=a^2+2ab+b^2.$ So both the first and last term are squares, and the middle term has factors of $2, $ $a$, and $b,$ where the latter are the square roots of the first and last term respectively.
    • For example, if the expression $2x+3$ were squared, we would obtain $(2x+3)(2x+3)=4x^2+12x+9.$ Note that the first term $4x^2$ is the square of $2x$ while the last term $9$ is the square of $3$, while the middle term is twice $2x\cdot3$.
    • Suppose you were trying to factor $x^2+8x+16.$ One can see that the first term is the square of $x$ while the last term is the square of $4$.
    • Since the first term is $3x$ squared, the last term is one squared, and the middle term is twice $3x\cdot 1$, this is a perfect square, and we can write:
  • Student Learning Outcomes

  • Completing the Square

    • The method of completing the square allows for the conversion to the form:
    • Once completing the square has been performed, the quadratic is easy to solve; because there is only one place where the variable $x$ is squared, the $(x-h)^2$ term can be isolated on one side of the equation, and then the square root of both sides can be taken.
    • This quadratic is not a perfect square.  
    • The closest perfect square is the square of $5$, which was determined by dividing the $b$ term (in this case $10$) by two and producing the square of the result.
    • Solve for the zeros of a quadratic function by completing the square
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