Final answer:
Linked genes on the X chromosome can result in different inheritance patterns for males and females. Males with a recessive allele on their X chromosome will express the trait, while females need to inherit two recessive alleles to express the trait. This explains why X-linked traits are more commonly observed in males.
Step-by-step explanation:
Linked genes are genes that are located close to each other on the same chromosome and tend to be inherited together. Since males have only one X chromosome, any genes that are located on the X chromosome are considered X-linked genes. X-linked genes can have different inheritance patterns in males and females. In males, if they inherit a recessive allele on their X chromosome, they will express the trait associated with that allele because they do not have another copy of the X chromosome to mask the effect of the recessive allele. In females, they have two copies of the X chromosome, so they need to inherit two recessive alleles to express the trait. This means that X-linked traits are more commonly observed in males compared to females.