Question

Wavy hair in mice is a recessive genetic trait. if mice with wavy hair are mated with straight-haired (heterozygous) mice, each offspring has probability 1 2 of having wavy hair.29 consider a large number of such matings, each producing a litter of five offspring. what percentage of the litters will consist of (a) two wavy-haired and three straight-haired offspring?

Answer 1

In order to find the percentage of the litters that will consist of two wavy- haired and three straight-haired offspring, you need to use the binomial distribution formula: P(x) = ⁿCₓ × pₓ × qⁿ⁻ˣ

P is the probability that the litters will consist of two wavy-haired and three straight-haired offspring.

X is considered to be the number of times the offspring will have wavy-air in a litter of 5 offspring, which is 2.

n is the number of offspring per litter.

p is the probability of happening wavy hair.

q is the probability of having straight hair.

It comes like this:

P(X=2)=⁵C₂×0.5²×0.5⁵⁻² ⇔ P(X=2)=10×0.25×0.125 ⇔ P(X=2)=0.3125

So, the percentage of the litters that will consist of two wavy-haired and three straight-haired offspring is 31.25%.