Final answer:
The goal of mitosis is to produce identical cells, while the goal of meiosis is to produce gametes with half the DNA of the parent cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goal of mitosis is to produce a new cell that is identical to the parent cell. This process is important for growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues in multicellular organisms. Each of the two daughter cells produced in mitosis will have the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
The goal of meiosis, on the other hand, is to produce gametes (sperm or eggs) that have half the DNA of the parent cell. This is accomplished through two rounds of cell division, resulting in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.