Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data55m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically1h 45m
- 4. Probability2h 16m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables2h 33m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables1h 38m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 3m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 12m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample1h 1m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples2h 8m
- 11. Correlation48m
- 12. Regression1h 4m
- 13. Chi-Square Tests & Goodness of Fit1h 20m
- 14. ANOVA1h 0m
4. Probability
Basic Concepts of Probability
Problem 4.1.27b
Textbook Question
In Exercises 21-28, find the probability and answer the questions.
Genetics: Eye Color Each of two parents has the genotype brown/blue, which consists of the pair of alleles that determine eye color, and each parent contributes one of those alleles to a child. Assume that if the child has at least one brown allele, that color will dominate and the eyes will be brown. (The actual determination of eye color is more complicated than that.)
b. What is the probability that a child of these parents will have the blue/blue genotype?

1
Step 1: Understand the problem. Each parent has a genotype of brown/blue, meaning they can contribute either a 'brown' allele or a 'blue' allele to their child. The child’s genotype is determined by the combination of one allele from each parent. The possible genotypes are: brown/brown, brown/blue, and blue/blue. We are tasked with finding the probability that the child will have the blue/blue genotype.
Step 2: Determine the probability of each parent contributing a specific allele. Since each parent has one brown allele and one blue allele, the probability of contributing either allele is 50% or 0.5.
Step 3: Use the multiplication rule of probability. To have a blue/blue genotype, the child must receive a blue allele from both parents. The probability of this happening is the product of the probabilities of each parent contributing a blue allele: P(blue/blue) = P(parent 1 contributes blue) × P(parent 2 contributes blue).
Step 4: Substitute the probabilities into the formula. Since the probability of each parent contributing a blue allele is 0.5, the formula becomes P(blue/blue) = 0.5 × 0.5.
Step 5: Simplify the expression to find the probability. The result will give the probability that the child has the blue/blue genotype. Note that this is a straightforward application of basic probability rules.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Genotype and Alleles
A genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, specifically the alleles it possesses for a particular trait. In this case, the parents have a genotype of brown/blue, meaning they carry one allele for brown eyes and one for blue. Alleles are different forms of a gene, and the combination of alleles inherited from each parent determines the child's genotype.
Dominance in Genetics
In genetics, dominance refers to the relationship between alleles, where one allele can mask the expression of another. The brown allele is dominant over the blue allele, meaning that if a child inherits at least one brown allele, the child's phenotype will be brown eyes. Understanding dominance is crucial for predicting the likelihood of certain traits appearing in offspring.
Punnett Square
A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genetic outcomes of a cross between two organisms. It helps visualize the possible combinations of alleles from the parents. In this scenario, constructing a Punnett square for the brown/blue genotypes of the parents will allow us to calculate the probability of the child having the blue/blue genotype, which is essential for answering the question.
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