**Core Concept**
This question tests the understanding of inheritance patterns based on pedigree analysis. The presence of affected males and females across generations, with a father affected and one child affected, and no clear sex limitation, suggests an autosomal dominant pattern where the trait appears in every generation and is expressed in both sexes.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The father has widely spaced eyes, increased facial hair, and deafness—features that are present in one of his children, who also has deafness and similar facial traits. The mother is unaffected, which rules out X-linked recessive (since a normal mother would not pass on the allele if it were recessive on X). The trait appears in both sexes and is not limited to males. Autosomal dominant inheritance shows vertical transmission, with affected individuals having affected offspring, and no skipping of generations. The expression in multiple family members supports this pattern.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
Option B: Autosomal recessive – This would require both parents to carry the allele, but the mother is normal and not affected, making it unlikely she carries the recessive allele. Also, recessive traits often skip generations, which is not seen here.
Option C: X-linked dominant – This would typically affect more females than males, and the father being affected would pass the trait to all daughters, which is not described. Also, the mother being unaffected contradicts this pattern.
Option D: X-linked recessive – Males are more commonly affected, and affected males pass the trait to daughters (who would be carriers), not to sons. Here, the father is affected and a son is affected, which is possible, but the trait appears in both sexes and the mother is unaffected—this does not fit the pattern of X-linked recessive.

**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
In autosomal dominant disorders, affected individuals usually have at least one affected parent, and the trait appears in every generation. Deafness with facial dysmorphism (like in Waardenburg syndrome) is a classic sign of autosomal dominant inheritance.

✓ Correct Answer: A. Autosomal dominant