This involves cell division in which the original chromosome complement it reduced by half. It results in the production of two identical cells with a full complement of chromosomes. When the full complement of 46 chromosomes for humans occurs, this is referred to as the diploid number. The first is similar to mitosis where the cell duplicates. There is a second cell division in meiosis.
Daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes from the original.
Members of different chromosome pairs sort independently when entering sex cells during meiosis. With two pais of chromosomes, four different combinations are equally possible. The half complement then joins with a similar complement to form the normal diploid number during reproduction. This leads to a new set of instructions for the workers of our factory. This is another source of continual variation.