Gene mapping determines the order and relative distances between genes on a chromosome. Genes that are close together are less likely to assort independently during meiosis due to crossover events between them. The chance of recombination between two genes is directly related to their physical distance apart, with one map unit equaling a 1% chance of recombination. Gene mapping methods use recombination frequencies observed between alleles in offspring to calculate the relative distances between genes. Common markers used for gene mapping include RFLPs, SNPs, and SSRs, which identify polymorphisms that can be traced during meiosis.