A student is completing a Punnett square for a trait (X/x) that is autosomal and inherited by the dominant allele. The father does not have it (xx), but the mother does (Xx). If they had two children, a son and a daughter, what would the completed Punnett square look like (i.e., would the son have the trait, would the daughter have the trait)?(1 point)

Question

Responses

Both children would not inherit the trait.
Both children would not inherit the trait.

Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the trait.
Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the trait.

One child would inherit the trait and one child would not.
One child would inherit the trait and one child would not.

Both children would inherit the trait.
Both children would inherit the trait.
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Answer 1

To complete the Punnett square for the given genetic scenario, we start with the parents' genotypes:

• Father: xx (does not have the trait)
• Mother: Xx (has the trait)

When we set up the Punnett square, we will list the alleles of the mother across the top and the alleles of the father along the side. Here’s how the Punnett square would look:

         X      x
      ----------------
   x |    Xx    |    xx    |
      ----------------
   x |    Xx    |    xx    |
      ----------------

From this Punnett square:

• Possible genotypes for the children:
  • Xx (inherits the dominant trait)
  • xx (inherits the recessive trait)

From the combinations:

• Two squares show Xx (children that would have the trait).
• Two squares show xx (children that would not have the trait).

Results:

• 50% of the time a child (son or daughter) will inherit the dominant trait (Xx), and 50% of the time they will not inherit the trait (xx).

Therefore, the correct response is:

Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the trait.