The Punnett menu
But first, let's demystify Punnett's Square a bit. We're going to make a generalised Punnett Square using food instead of alleles.
To set this up, I want you to imagine going out to eat at one of those super-trendy restaurants (Chez Punnett, of course) with lots of dishes you've never heard of. Your task? Order an entrée and a dessert.
| Entrees | Desserts |
|---|---|
| Bikini Island Shrimp in Yuca Coconut Puree | Chocolate Mink |
| Wild and Crazy Drunken Trout | 103 Layers Chocolate Cake |
| Sweet Potato Gratin with Baby Pinecones | Ecuadorian Pomegranate Popsicles |
| Cornish Hen in Free Range Chicken Wrapped in Organic Turkey, Smothered in Genetically Modified Plum Sauce | Avocado Gelato |
| Turkey Cream Puff Pie | Watermelon Croissant |
(Just for fun, see if you can guess which three of these recipes actually came from Gourmet magazine).
Our restaurant has 5 entrées and 5 desserts, so how many possible combinations are there?
(To make this problem interactive, turn on javascript!)
- I need a hint ... : you could pair each entrée with each dessert
- ...another hint ... :there are 5*5 combinations
I think I have the answer: 25
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