Grade 12 · CAPS

Grade 12 Genetics and Inheritance

Life Sciences practice questions and a worked example

Grade 12 Genetics and Inheritance covers genetic crosses, types of dominance, blood groups, sex-linked disorders, pedigree diagrams, mutations and genetic engineering. The questions here ask you to give genotypes and phenotypes, set out a full genetic cross for conditions such as polydactyly and muscular dystrophy, work with dihybrid crosses, read a pedigree diagram, and explain why sex-linked disorders are more common in males. They come from the NSC Paper 2 for November 2023, 2024 and 2025: multiple-choice and terminology items from Section A and diagram, data and passage questions from Section B, each with the marking guideline's answer.

Worked example

1.4 The diagram below shows the inheritance of blood groups in a family. 1.4.4 Lina's genotype is IA i. State ALL the possible genotypes of Vusi.

Answer

IAi IBi ii

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Genetics and Inheritance

Question 1 of 3

1.1.3 Which ONE of the following is a characteristic of stem cells?
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More practice questions

Explore additional Grade 12 Genetics and Inheritance questions.

  • 2
    1.1.7 When two plants heterozygous for a characteristic are crossed, the expected ratio is: (Dominant phenotype : Recessive phenotype)
  • 3
    1.2 Give the correct biological term for the following description. 1.2.1 The position of a gene on a chromosome
  • 4
    1.2 Give the correct biological term for the following description. 1.2.6 The type of dominance which results in an intermediate phenotype in the heterozygous condition
  • 5
    1.2 Give the correct biological term for the following description. 1.2.10 The name for the X and Y sex chromosomes in humans

Common mistakes

  • Leaving out the P1 and F1 labels, meiosis and fertilisation in a genetic cross. The marking guideline gives separate marks for them.
  • Writing a sex-linked genotype without the X and Y chromosomes, for example Dd in place of XDXd.
  • Giving the genotype when the question asks for the phenotype, or the other way round.

More Grade 12 Life Sciences topics

Aligned to CAPS Grade 12 Life Sciences — Genetics and Inheritance. Curriculum source: CAPS for the FET Phase, Department of Basic Education.

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