“Hey Johnnie, come here. Can I help you with your homework?” asked the balding teacher.

“I don’t understand this assignment at all.” said Johnnie.

“What don’t you understand?”

“We’re learning genetics in biology and there’s two words—genotype and phenotype. The definition of each word confuses me.” said Johnnie.

“Let’s look up the definitions on the internet. Type in each word with the word define behind it.” explained the teacher.

Johnnie typed in genotype and it said the genetic constitution of an individual.

Then he typed in phenotype and it said the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

“Did you learn how to do punnet squares in biology yet?” asked the teacher.

“Those are easy.” said Johnnie.

“The letters that you put around the punnet square and in the punnet square are the genotypes. The phenotype or physical characteristics is what those letter represent or what the organism looks like- purple, pink, red, tall, short, etc.”

“I understand now.” said Johnnie. “Thank you Mr. Doon.”

“Your welcome. I’m glad to be of help. You can come to me anytime you don’t understand something.” said Mr. Doon.