Which statement best describes a two-factor Punnett square?

Which statement best describes a two-factor Punnett square?

• A. A dihybrid cross tracks two traits. Both parents are heterozygous, and one allele for each trait exhibits complete dominance.
• B. It analyzes a single trait across multiple generations.
• C. It only applies to X-linked inheritance patterns.
• D. It predicts phenotypes but not genotypes.

Answer: (A)

A two-factor Punnett square is used for a dihybrid cross, where two different traits are tracked at once. You set it up with both parents heterozygous for both traits, so each parent can pass on any combination of alleles for the two genes. The grid is 4x4 because each parent contributes two alleles for each gene, giving all possible allele combinations in the offspring. When the traits assort independently and show complete dominance, you’ll see the full range of genotype combinations and the classic 9:3:3:1 phenotypic pattern, illustrating how two traits are inherited together. Other statements don’t fit because the two-factor square isn’t about a single trait across generations, isn’t limited to X-linked inheritance, and actually predicts both genotypes and phenotypes, not just phenotypes.

A two-factor Punnett square is used for a dihybrid cross, where two different traits are tracked at once. You set it up with both parents heterozygous for both traits, so each parent can pass on any combination of alleles for the two genes. The grid is 4x4 because each parent contributes two alleles for each gene, giving all possible allele combinations in the offspring. When the traits assort independently and show complete dominance, you’ll see the full range of genotype combinations and the classic 9:3:3:1 phenotypic pattern, illustrating how two traits are inherited together.

Other statements don’t fit because the two-factor square isn’t about a single trait across generations, isn’t limited to X-linked inheritance, and actually predicts both genotypes and phenotypes, not just phenotypes.