A pedigree is a diagram of family relationships that uses symbols to represent people and lines to represent genetic relationships.
Pedigrees make it easier to visualize relationships within families are often used to determine the mode of inheritance of genetic diseases.
Symbols in pedigree:
Squares represent males and circles represent females.
Horizontal lines connecting a male and female represent mating.
Vertical lines extending downward from a couple represent their children.
If the purpose of a pedigree is to analyze the pattern of inheritance of a particular trait, it is customary to shade in the symbol of all individuals that possess this trait.