The Case of the Hospital Mix-up
DIRECTIONS
Oh no… There has been a terrible mix up at the hospital. Last night at 11:00 pm, 3 babies
were born at the exact same time. Since they were born at the same time, the nurses were
flying around the hospital trying to assist the doctors. With all of this craziness, the nurses
forgot to give the 3 newborn babies identification tags. What a disaster!
Luckily, I told the hospital that you all are excellent with genetics, so they have asked you in
to help sort out the baby mix up mess. You have such an important role in this case. What
you have to do is complete the worksheet based on the clues that are given.
Trait
Ear Lobes
Hair Type
Freckles
Baby #1
Homozygous Free
Earlobes
Homozygous
Straight Hair
Homozygous No
Freckles
Baby#1’s Genotype
Here is what we know:
Dominant
Recessive
Free Ear Lobes (E)
Attached ear lobes (e)
Curly Hair (C)
Straight Hair (c)
Freckles (F)
No freckles (f)
Clues about the babies:
Baby #2
Homozygous Free
Earlobes
Homozygous Curly
Hair
Heterozygous
Freckles
Baby#2’s Genotype
Baby #3
Homozygous
Attached
Earlobes
Homozygous
Curly Hair
Heterozygous
Freckles
Baby#3’s Genotype
On the following pages, you will find clues about each of the possible parents. It is your job to
look at the possible combinations of chromosomes and determine whether the parents
could have produced a baby with the genotypes and phenotypes described above.
Mom and Dad #1
Mom #1
Dad #1
E
E
E
E
C
C
C
C
F
f
F
f
Mom #1’s Genotype: _________________
Dad #1’s Genotype: ________________
Possible Combinations for Baby
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
F
F
F
f
f
F
f
f
Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________
Genotype: ______________
Mom and Dad #2
Mom #2
Dad #2
E
E
E
E
C
c
C
c
f
f
f
f
Mom #2’s Genotype: _________________
Dad #2’s Genotype: ________________
Possible Combinations for Baby
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
C
C
C
c
c
C
c
c
f
f
f
f
f
F
f
f
Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________
Genotype: ______________
Mom and Dad #3
Mom #3
Dad #3
e
e
e
e
C
C
C
C
F
f
F
f
Mom #3’s Genotype: _________________
Dad #3’s Genotype: ________________
Possible Combinations for Baby
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
e
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
F
F
F
f
f
F
f
f
Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________ Genotype: ______________
Genotype: ______________
SOLUTION
Baby #1 belongs to Mom
and Dad # _______. I know
this because these are the
only parents that produce
the combinations of
chromosomes needed to
create Baby #1’s genotype.
Baby #2 belongs to Mom
and Dad # _______. I know
this because these are the
only parents that produce
the combinations of
chromosomes needed to
create Baby #2’s genotype.
Baby #3 belongs to Mom
and Dad # _______. I know
this because these are the
only parents that produce
the combinations of
chromosomes needed to
create Baby #3’s genotype.
Baby #1 Genotype
Baby #2 Genotype
Baby #3 Genotype