Explain why meiosis is crucial in producing gametes that have half the number of chromosomes as the diploid number. Give an example of what would happen if the diploid number was not reduced to haploid before fertilization.

Meiosis and mitosis are two different processes when dealing with the distribution of genetic material among the resulting daughter cells. Mitosis creates two identical daughter cells while meiosis gives rise to four unique daughter cells, each of which has half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. Since meiosis is destined to create gametes (or reproductive cells), this reduction in chromosome number is critical. Without it, the union of two gametes during fertilization would result in offspring with twice the normal number of chromosomes.