Why Are Fossils Useful for Determining Whether a Trait Is

question 88

Multiple Choice

Why are fossils useful for determining whether a trait is ancestral or derived?

• A) Fossils can be dated, and thus we can know when a trait evolved.
• B) Fossils can give us direct evidence of the character states of extinct lineages.
• C) Maximum likelihood methods can be used with fossil structures.
• D) With fossil information, we can know where animals actually lived in the past.
• E) None of the above; fossils are not useful in determining whether a trait is ancestral or derived.

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Definitions:

Recursive Method

A method in programming that calls itself in order to solve a problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable parts.

Power of X

Refers to a mathematical operation where a number (X) is raised to the power of another number, indicating multiplication of X by itself a certain number of times.

Recursive Method

A technique in programming where a method calls itself to break down complex problems into simpler ones, utilizing a different angle from its first explanation.

Factorial

A mathematical operation that involves multiplying a number by every number less than it down to 1; e.g., the factorial of 5 (denoted as 5!) is 120.