Question 21N.2.SL.TZ0.6c

Differences between continuous and discrete variation were not well known and the average performance for this question was the lowest for any part of Section B. A general fault was to describe the two types of variation separately and in consequence forget to include both sides of a distinction. For example, some candidates stated that the environment can cause continuous variation, but most did not then also state that discrete variation is generally unaffected by environment. A mark was awarded for examples of the two types of variation, but in some cases an inappropriate example was chosen, such as hair colour for discrete variation or eye colour for continuous variation. The latter example was best avoided entirely as there are aspects of both continuous and discrete variation in the pigmentation of the iris.