Which type of inheritance involves multiple alleles affecting a single trait?

The correct answer is identified as the concept of multiple alleles, which refers to a situation where three or more alternative forms (alleles) of a gene exist in a population, influencing a single trait. This means that, rather than having just two alleles (one from each parent), individuals may carry different combinations of these multiple alleles, leading to a variety of phenotypic outcomes.

A classic example of multiple alleles is seen in human blood types, where the ABO blood group system is determined by three alleles: A, B, and O. The presence of these alleles allows for different combinations (such as AA, AO, BB, BO, AB, and OO), resulting in four possible blood types: A, B, AB, and O.

In contrast, monogenic inheritance pertains to traits determined by a single gene and its alleles, while Mendelian inheritance describes the principles established by Gregor Mendel regarding the segregation and independent assortment of genes. Polygenic inheritance involves the interplay of multiple genes, each contributing to a single trait, leading to a continuous range of phenotypes, such as height or skin color. Therefore, identifying multiple alleles as the correct answer emphasizes the presence of more than two alleles influencing a