>Crossover can recombine schemata without greatly disturbing the desirable outcome of (Reproduction according to fitness) step 1.
>Assume that the points of crossover are chosen at random, any where in the string of genes on the chromosome.  
>The effect of crossover in step 2 (recombination) following the reproduction of step 1 (Reproduction according to fitness) depends on the length of the schema.  That length is the number of crossover points between the outermost of the schema’s defining positions, any position without a (*).