Question

The number of mitotic cell divisions required to produce 256 daughter cells from a parent cell would be ___.

• A. 10
• B. 12
• C. 6
• D. 8

Answer 1

The correct option is D

8

Mitosis is a type of cell division in which a parent cell divides to form two daughter cells. As a result, in one mitotic division, the number of daughter cells produced are two. These two daughter cells from the first division, individually divide to give 2 new cells each, which makes it a total of 4 cells after 2nd division. This continues as shown below:
After $1^{st}$ division, $1\times 2$ = 2 daughter cells,
After $2^{nd}$ division, $2\times 2$ =4 daughter cells,
After $3^{rd}$ division, $4\times 2$ =8 daughter cells,
After $4^{th}$ division, $8\times 2$ =16 daughter cells,
After $5^{th}$ division, $16\times 2$ =32 daughter cells,
After $6^{th}$ division, $32\times 2$ =64 daughter cells,
After $7^{th}$ division, $64\times 2$ =128 daughter cells
After $8^{th}$ division, $128\times 2$ =256 daughter cells.
Thus, after 8 mitotic divisions, 256 cells are produced from a single parent cell.