Final answer:
Using four genes to determine a cub's parentage is critical for accuracy and comprehensiveness, it minimizes chance variability, and it allows for more advanced genetic analysis methods than using a single gene.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining cubs parents using genetic information is critical because it provides a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the cub's inheritance. By using four genes instead of just one, one can significantly reduce the impact of chance variability on the predicted outcomes. If we consider only one gene, there might be a misleading result due to the random assortment of alleles. However, by examining multiple genes, we increase the likelihood of obtaining a true genetic profile, as each additional gene considered adds more detail and a higher degree of certainty to the genetic analysis.
Using multiple genes is also important in understanding complex inheritance patterns. Different genes can interact with each other in ways that can't be predicted by looking at just a single gene. For example, some traits might be the result of several genes working together (polygenic traits), which can only be accurately analyzed by considering all relevant genes.
Lastly, the use of multiple genes allows for the application of more advanced methods of genetic analysis, such as the forked-line and probability methods, which are more efficient than the cumbersome Punnett-square method for analyzing crosses involving multiple genes.