In rabbits, white fur (W) is dominant to black (w), and long ears (E) are dominant to short ears (e). A breeder mates two rabbits that are heterozygous (WwEe) for both traits.
What is the chance that the offspring will be black with short ears?
To determine the chance that the offspring will be black with short ears, we need to look at the possible combinations of alleles inherited from the parents.
The parents are heterozygous for both traits, so they could pass on the following combinations of alleles:
For fur color: W (white) or w (black)
For ear length: E (long) or e (short)
The possible combinations of alleles for the offspring are as follows:
WWEE - white fur with long ears
WWEe - white fur with long ears
WwEE - white fur with long ears
WwEe - white fur with long ears
WWee - white fur with short ears
Wwee - white fur with short ears
wwEE - black fur with long ears
wwEe - black fur with short ears
Out of these eight possibilities, only one combination meets the criteria of being black with short ears, which is wwEe. Therefore, the chance that the offspring will be black with short ears is 1 out of 8, or 1/8.