so confused and need help with some questions

[I suck @ biology]

well this is my first time on here but i just really need help understanding somethings about genetics and if you can help it would be Great! sooo...

"you have found a new mutant phenotype in fruit flies that you suspect is recessive and sex linked. what is the single, best cross you could make to confirm your predictions?" - so would a cross be like mating that fly with a homozygous fly with dominant traits? but would that show that its sex linked?
secondly...
"a woman is a carrier for a sex-linked lethal gene that causes spontaneous abortions. she has nine children. how many of these children do you expect to be boys?"- now i believe that since its the mother passing it on, that it is more likely to effect a son..? and if that is true then she would have less boys since they would be aborted..? or does it stay at a 50% chance?

So as you see i'm pretty confused when it comes to sex-linked genes and all and i'm hoping that someone can help me understand it better. Thanks!

[army]

It's a kind o' challenging question! I'd be really like to answer 'em if I were you. though it's a bit confused

let me guide you... (But actually I ain't sure you'd understand.. )

"you have found a new mutant phenotype in fruit flies that you suspect is recessive and sex linked. what is the single, best cross you could make to confirm your predictions?" - so would a cross be like mating that fly with a homozygous fly with dominant traits? but would that show that its sex linked?

I think the answer is 'yes'. Recessif phenotype will not appear when you mate recessive homozygous fly with one which dominant homozygous. But, you have to notice that --in this case-- you expect that it is sex linked. If it is sex linked, the trait would be inherited by one gender only, not both male and female filial inherit them.

"a woman is a carrier for a sex-linked lethal gene that causes spontaneous abortions. she has nine children. how many of these children do you expect to be boys?"- now i believe that since its the mother passing it on, that it is more likely to effect a son..? and if that is true then she would have less boys since they would be aborted..? or does it stay at a 50% chance?

Mmmm...
Heterozygous girls (or carrier) may live also. See that the mother stays alive eventhough she is a carrier?
That's true that she may have less boy. In above case, it could be 3 boys ar3 given birth.
Yeah, the precentage of the probability that she will give birth for a boy will be 33.33%

[I suck @ biology]

Thanks so much for the help! i really appreciaite it! plus i understand it a bit more

[Dr.Stein]

Yes, and I hope you would change your name by then