1. What is a Punnett Square?

A Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations of offspring from parental alleles. It provides the probability of inheriting particular traits.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the probability formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Probability (dimensionless)
• \( F \) — Favorable outcomes (dimensionless)
• \( T \) — Total outcomes (dimensionless)

Explanation: The calculator generates all possible genetic combinations from the parental alleles and calculates the probability of each eye color outcome.

3. Understanding Eye Color Genetics

Details: Brown eye color (B) is dominant over blue (b). A child needs only one B allele to have brown eyes, while two b alleles are needed for blue eyes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Select the genotype for each parent. BB = homozygous brown, Bb = heterozygous, bb = homozygous blue. The calculator will show the probability of each eye color in their offspring.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is eye color really this simple genetically?
A: While the B/b model explains basic inheritance, real eye color is influenced by multiple genes making it more complex than this simple model.

Q2: Can two blue-eyed parents have a brown-eyed child?
A: Not with this simple model (would require both to be Bb, which would make them brown-eyed), but with more complex genetics it's possible.

Q3: What if one parent has green eyes?
A: This calculator uses a simplified brown/blue model. Green eyes involve additional genetic factors not accounted for here.

Q4: How accurate are these predictions?
A: For teaching basic Mendelian genetics, quite accurate. For real-world predictions, less so due to polygenic inheritance.

Q5: What does heterozygous mean?
A: It means having two different alleles for a gene (Bb). Homozygous means having two identical alleles (BB or bb).