Question

Suppose the body cells of an animal have 20 chromosomes. What is the chromosome number of its sex cells?

Answer 1

The sex cells of the animal will have 10 chromosomes if it's body cells have 20 chromosomes.

Explanation:

The body cells of the animal are diploid. The sex cells are formed during gametogenesis as a consequence of meiotic divisions.
Thus the sex cells will be haploid (having half the number of chromosomes of diploid body cells).

The sex cells of the animal have 10 chromosomes if the body cells have 20 chromosomes.

Answer 2

`10`

Explanation:

Sex cells or gametes of an organism are formed by meiosis. In meiosis, four daughter cells that are haploid are created. Haploid means that they have half the number of chromosomes than the other cells in the body, called somatic cells.

This animal's somatic cells have `20` chromosomes, so its sex cells will have `20/2=10` chromosomes.