Difference with mitosis and meiosis

[photon]

So I got this test tomarrow in science class on cell division. We can't use notes on this test, so it's not going to go to deep into anything. I know there's going to be at least on question on the main difference between mitosis and meiosis.
Most of the test is about mitosis, but I stiil need one thing for meiosis.
I was thinking it might be that mitosis is asexual where meiosis is sexual. Not to sure about this cause the name cell division hints against any of it being non asexual.

So what is the main difference?

Sorry if this seems rather simple, I don't know too much about biology.

 

[Jikx]

Meiosis and Mitosis both divide asexually (i'm not sure if its even possible to divide sexually), where meiosis normally occurs in sex cells to produce gamates (eggs and sperm) having only 1/2 the normal number of chromosomes, and mitosis occurs in most other cells, with the resulting cells being an exact clone of the original.

*waits patiently for someone to correct his mistakes*

 

[iansmith]

Here an image comparing both division
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/GG/comparison.html

Animation
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/meiomito.htm

As Jixk said, both cell divisions are asexual but meiosis produces gametes/sex cell (either sperm or egg) whereas mitosis produce "normal" cell. Gametes is haploid (1n), normal cell are diploid (2n). During meiosis, there 2 cell divisions, 1 mitosis-like division and a chromosome reducing division. Homologous recombination occurs during meiosis.

Here is a nice table
http://www.radford.edu/~rsheehy/genetics/Meiosis/B245OMeiComp.html

You should also read the process and make a table for comparing and contrasting, it will help.

 

[fish]

Meiosis in single celled and multicelled eukaryotes is the basis of gamete formation and sexual reproduction. Mitosis is the basis of asexual reproduction single celled and many multicelled eukaryotes, replaces dead cells, repair of tissue and growth.

Mitosis produces 2 identical daughter cells with diploid # of chromosomes (same # of chromosomes as parent) occurs in body cells or somatic cells. One stage of division: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Mitosis only produces clones (asexual)

Meiosis reduces the chromosome # to half that of the parent and produces 4 haploid cells (gametes). Occurs in the ovaries or testes (only occurs in reproductive cells like: germ cells--->gametes) Goes through 2 stages of division meiosis I & II, with II being like mitosis except in the number of cells formed. Meiosis with fertilization produces variation in traits (sexual reproduction)