Answer: Meiosis is called the reductional division because it halves the ploidy number. It is also important to note that meiosis only occurs in gametes. In humans, when a cell undergoes meiosis its ploidy number halves from 2n to n and their chromosome number from 46 to 23.
Explanation:
Meiosis
Meiosis from Ancient Greek 'lessening', since it is a reductional division) is a special type of cell division of germ cells in
reproducing organisms used to produce the gametes, such as sperm or egg cells
It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four cells with only one copy of each chromosome (haploid). Additionally, prior to the division, genetic material from the paternal and maternal copies of each chromosome is crossed over, creating new combinations of code on each chromosome. Later on, during fertilization, the haploid cells produced by meiosis from a male and female will fuse to create a cell with two copies of each chromosome again, the zygote.