The genes of Gilgamesh
Can you work out the parentage of the ancient hero Gilgamesh?
Problem
If three of my grandparents were French and one Russian then I would be said to be one quarter Russian and three quarters French (RFFF). If half of my great-grandparents were English and half other nationalities then I would be said to be half English (EX)
The king of Sumeria around 2600 BC was a great warrior called Gilgamesh . The tale of Gilgamesh the hero stated that Gilgamesh was "Two Thirds God and One Third Man".
Assuming normal reproductive behaviour between a set of ancestors of type pure G and a set of anscestors of type pure M, could you create an offspring of type two-thirds G and one-third M?
How many generations would it take to create a genetic stock to within 1% of (GGM)?
Getting Started
* Do you think that it is possible to make (GGM)?
* What other ratios (e.g. GGGGMM) would be equivalent to (GGM)?
* What possible fractions would be within 1% of (GGM)?
Can a fraction of one third ever be equal to a power of one half?
Student Solutions
It is important to realise in this question that the cross is not like a normal Mendelian cross, but that all previously accumulated genetic infortmation is inherited.
It would be impossible to create an offspring who was two-thirds G and one-third M. This can be explained as follows: each successive generation doubles the number of possible 'parts' that it can be made out of. For example the first generation is purely G or M, whereas the second generation has two 'parts' - it can be GG, MM or GM. Additionally, the third generation has four parts and can be GGGG, GGGM, GGMM, GMMM or MMMM. Thus, the number of 'parts' is clearly $2^n$ where n is an integer.
In order to be able to be composed on one-third M, we are essentially asking if there is a value of n such that $\frac{2^n}{3}$ is an integer. It can be seen that there is no value of n to make this true because $2^n$ generates numbers which are divisible only by the prime number 2, but by no other primes. Because 3 is a prime number, this means that the expression can never yield an integer.
We are looking to find a composition which is within 1% of $\frac{1}{3}$. which is equivalent to the range $\frac{99}{300}$ - $\frac{101}{300}$ which is $0.33 - 0.33\dot{6}$.
Using trial and error:
$\frac{3}{8} = 0.375$
$\frac{5}{16} = 0.313$
$\frac{11}{32} = 0.348$
$\frac{21}{64} = 0.328$
$\mathbf{\frac{43}{128} = 0.3359}$
Thus, 128 = 2$^7$, and so there need to be a minimum of 8 generations. Can you draw out the crossing scheme to create this final progeny?
Teachers' Resources
Why do this problem?
Possible approach
Key questions
- Do you think that it is possible to make (GGM)?
- What other ratios (e.g. GGGGMM) would be equivalent to (GGM)?
- What possible fractions would be within 1% of (GGM)?
Possible extension
- Generally speaking, starting from a stock of pure G and pure M, can you determine thestock of all possible descendants?
- Can students invent a similar question of their own?
Possible support