Final answer:
To determine the inheritance pattern of a trait from a pedigree chart, one must analyze the distribution of the trait among genders and across generations, considering if it's autosomal or X-linked and dominant or recessive. Without the accompanying figure, however, the pattern cannot be confidently ascertained.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inheritance pattern of a trait can often be deduced by analyzing a pedigree chart wherein symbols of a pedigree are used to represent males (squares) and females (circles). The fact that filled in symbols indicate individuals with the abnormal phenotype suggests that we can determine whether the trait is dominant or recessive, and whether it is autosomal or X-linked.
For the trait to be X-linked recessive, the key characteristics would be that males are more frequently affected than females, and that affected males often have unaffected sons and carrier or affected daughters (depending if the mother is a carrier or affected). Autosomal dominant inheritance patterns usually show the trait in every generation, with affected individuals possibly having unaffected siblings.
Autosomal recessive traits would typically show up in siblings of the same generation without appearing in every generation. In X-linked dominant inheritance, an affected male would pass the trait to all of his daughters and none of his sons, while an affected female would pass the trait to about half of her children irrespective of their sex. Therefore, without the accompanying figure, it is not possible to confidently ascertain the pattern.