"DNA fingerprinting" is a recently introduced biochemical procedure that uses a pattern derived from a person's genet...

Naz February 25, 2015

The proponents' claim is: there are astronomically high odds against obtaining a match by chance alone.

Why? There is an assumption that there is independence between the different characteristics represented by a single pattern.

We want to weaken the proponents' claim.

Answer choice (C) states: "In the whole population there are various different subgroups, within each of which certain sets of genetic characteristics are shared."

So, if we take answer choice (C) to be true, then that means there are certain subgroups that share sets of genetic characteristics. Doesn't this then cast doubt upon the claim that it would be very unlikely to obtain a DNA match by chance alone?

If there are sets of genetic characteristics that are shared, then DNA matches could be made based solely on the chance that the two people share the same set of genetic characteristics.

Hope that clears things up! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Yivillar March 2, 2015

Thank you.

KimJongUn October 16, 2018

I originally wanted to choose A as I thought this sabotaged the assumption of independent characteristics. I understand why C is correct, but I don't fully understand why A is not correct.

Mehran October 17, 2018

@KimJongUn we are looking to weaken the claim of the proponents of DNA fingerprinting which is the "astronomically high odds against obtaining a match by chance alone."

(A) tells us that the genetic material people share with other people is NOT included in the DNA fingerprinting procedure, which if anything, seems to strengthen the claim of the proponents of DNA fingerprinting.

Hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.