Final answer:
Polygenic inheritance refers to when a trait is influenced by multiple genes and each gene can have multiple alleles. This results in a wide range of phenotypes, often following a bell-shaped curve. The frequencies of genotypes and phenotypes can be predicted using a mathematical calculation based on allele frequencies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Polygenic inheritance is when a trait is controlled by multiple genes and each gene can have multiple alleles.
This leads to a wide range of phenotypes, often following a bell-shaped curve.
The frequencies of genotypes and phenotypes can be predicted using a mathematical calculation based on the allele frequencies.
For example, if there are three possible alleles (A, B, and C), the frequency of individuals with the genotype AABBCC would be p^2 (frequency of allele A) * q^2 (frequency of allele B) * r^2 (frequency of allele C).