Question

if the male in generation ii was affected, what would the pattern of inheritance most likely be? (ignore the arrow!!!!)
generation
i 1 2 3 4
ii 1 2
iii 1 2 3 4 5 6
autosomal dominant
autosomal recessive
x - linked dominant
x - linked recessive

Explanation:

1. Autosomal dominant: If it were autosomal dominant, affected individuals would likely have an affected parent. But with the given scenario of the male in generation II being affected, it doesn't strongly suggest this as parents in generation I are not both affected in a way typical for autosomal - dominant.
2. Autosomal recessive: For autosomal recessive, two carriers can have affected offspring. If the male in generation II is affected, it could be that both parents in generation II are carriers. This is consistent with the pedigree as unaffected parents can have affected children.
3. X - linked dominant: In X - linked dominant, an affected male would pass the trait to all his daughters. But this is not indicated in the pedigree.
4. X - linked recessive: Usually, in X - linked recessive, affected males inherit the trait from their mothers. But if the male in generation II is affected and considering the overall pattern, it's less likely compared to autosomal recessive as there are no clear signs of typical X - linked inheritance like more affected males in general or specific mother - son inheritance patterns.

Answer:

B. autosomal recessive