Once you choose one description/ question as your answer, then each choice would lead you on to another two descriptions. Let’s imagine that you are trying to identify a particular organism, and you are given two descriptions at a time, where you will have to choose one description/question that best suits the organism you wish to identify. This would take you through a series of questions, and ultimately help you identify the organism that you pick out.ĭichotomous means you are given two descriptions at a time and you are asked to choose the most appropriate description for your organism. The scientific tool that you would use in this instance is a dichotomous key. ![]() If for example, you have a group of different organisms and you wish to identify one of them. This basically means that it is “divided into two parts.” This is why dichotomous keys give us two descriptions or ask us two questions. The word “dichotomous” hails from late Latin from the Greek word dikhotomos (from dikho- ‘in two’ + temnein ‘to cut’) + -ous. To read up on the other sub-topics under this area, you can click here ! What is a Dichotomous Key?Ī dichotomous key is a method or process used to identify organisms based on a series of questions about their features. (sounds wonderful doesn’t it?□)ĭichotomous Keys is a subtopic under Characteristics and Classification of Living Organisms. ![]() In this article we will be addressing perhaps one of the easiest areas in IGCSE Biology, and therefore, is an area where you can easily score marks.
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