1. **Problem Statement:** How many different gametes can an organism with 23 pairs of chromosomes produce by independent assortment? 2. **Formula and Explanation:** The number of different gametes produced by independent assortment is given by: $$2^n$$ where $n$ is the number of chromosome pairs. This is because each pair of chromosomes can assort independently into gametes in 2 different ways (either chromosome from the pair). 3. **Calculation:** Given $n = 23$ pairs of chromosomes, $$\text{Number of gametes} = 2^{23}$$ 4. **Evaluation:** Calculate $2^{23}$: $$2^{23} = 8,388,608$$ 5. **Interpretation:** This means the organism can produce 8,388,608 different gametes by independent assortment of chromosomes. 6. **Probability Rule:** Each gamete is equally likely, so the probability of producing any one specific gamete is: $$\frac{1}{2^{23}} = \frac{1}{8,388,608}$$ This illustrates the vast genetic diversity possible through independent assortment alone.