What is the purpose of a pedigree?

• A. To track inheritance patterns of traits through generations.
• B. To map the geographic origin of traits.
• C. To measure mutation rates in a population.
• D. To study ecological relationships.

Answer: (A)

Pedigrees are used to track how a trait is inherited across generations. By recording who in a family is affected, who may be a carrier, and how family members are related, a pedigree helps reveal patterns of inheritance—whether a trait tends to appear in every generation, skips generations, or is linked to sex chromosomes. This information is valuable for predicting risk in future offspring and for genetic counseling. So, the main purpose is to understand how traits are passed down within a family. Pedigrees aren’t used to map geographic origins, measure mutation rates, or study ecological relationships.