Why are statistical tools needed in the understanding of the transmission of traits in the field of Genetics?

Question

 List 3 and in few words give a few descriptions and the importance of each 

Answer 1

Hi Jocelyn F., What statistical tools are you familiar with? Maybe average, standard deviation, normal distribution, least squares regression, rejection of the null hypothesis, calculation of confidence level, Chi-square, t-test, F-test? That's just scratching the surface.

So let's attack the problem from a different direction: you do a controlled breeding experiment, and get a bunch of data for results. What then? Obviously, you have to analyse your data next. Data are meaningless without analysis! Most likely, you observed phenotypes, and you wish to *infer* the respective genotypes. So you are looking at distributions of offspring phenotypes, and trying to match to a 2:2 or a 3:1 distribution in the F1 generation. (or some fancier version of that). But, *are* the data a good match? Statistical techniques can tell you.

Or maybe, you have real-world (uncontrolled) data, say on #viable seed set vs. bloom date for different populations of the same plant. If the probit curves for the two populations can be overlaid in certain ways, then the populations may be similar. But you better have the proper statistical technique for doing that, b/c the data aren't going to solve the problem on their own and write you up an analysis!

-- Cheers, --Mr. d.