A somatic cell of an animal has 18 chromosomes.
How many chromosomes would be present in a haploid cell for this animal?

Answer

To determine how many chromosomes are present in a haploid cell for an animal that has somatic cells with 18 chromosomes, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Definition of Somatic and Haploid Cells**:
- Somatic cells are the body cells of an organism, which are diploid (2N), meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
- Haploid cells (N) are cells that contain only one set of chromosomes. In animals, these are typically the gametes (sperm and egg cells).

2. **Identify the Number of Chromosomes in Somatic Cells**:
- The problem states that the somatic cell of the animal has 18 chromosomes. This means that the diploid number (2N) is 18.

3. **Calculate the Haploid Number**:
- To find the haploid number (N), we divide the diploid number by 2:
\[ N = \frac{2N}{2} = \frac{18}{2} = 9 \]
- Therefore, the haploid cell will have 9 chromosomes.

4. **Conclusion**:
- A haploid cell for this animal would contain 9 chromosomes.

### Final Answer:
A haploid cell for this animal would have **9 chromosomes**.

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