Final answer:
The purpose of mitosis is to produce two identical diploid daughter cells for growth and repair, while the purpose of meiosis is to produce four genetically distinct haploid gametes for sexual reproduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the purposes of mitosis and meiosis, two processes of cell division in living organisms. The purpose is for reproduction is typically associated with meiosis. Mitosis is the process where a single cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells, typically for growth and repair of tissues, and maintains the diploid chromosome number. It's a form of asexual reproduction. In contrast, meiosis is the process of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half and creates four haploid cells, each genetically different from the parent cell. This reduction is crucial for sexual reproduction as it allows for the maintenance of species chromosome number when gametes fuse during fertilization.
The provided information appears to contain several inaccuracies. In reality, mitosis results in daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell – not genetically different, as stated in point 'a'. Point 'b' incorrectly suggests that crossing over is prevalent in mitosis when in fact it occurs during meiosis I, contributing to genetic diversity in the resulting gametes. Point 'c' incorrectly describes mitosis as reducing the number of chromosomes by half, whereas it actually produces two diploid cells that are identical to the parent cell. Meiosis, not mitosis, produces haploid cells.
To summarize, the purpose of mitosis is for growth and repair, while the purpose of meiosis is for reproduction, specifically sexual reproduction. Meiosis leads to genetic variation in offspring, which is a key advantage of sexual over asexual reproduction.