Which chart tracks inheritance patterns by recording family members across generations?

• A. Punnett Square
• B. Venn Diagram
• C. Pedigree
• D. Flowchart

Answer: (C)

Pedigree charts are used to visualize how traits pass through a family across generations. In a pedigree, generations are shown in horizontal rows, with each symbol representing a person. Squares are typically males, circles are females, and shading indicates who expresses the trait (with conventions for carriers in some pedigrees). By looking at who in each generation is affected and how it appears among siblings and offspring, you can infer patterns of inheritance—whether a trait is autosomal or sex-linked, dominant or recessive, and whether carriers exist. This is exactly what it means to track inheritance patterns by recording family members across generations.

Punnett squares predict possible offspring genotypes for a specific mating, rather than illustrating a family history across generations. Venn diagrams compare overlapping sets, not inheritance in families. Flowcharts map steps in a process, not genetic inheritance.