Unit 5 WebQuest Project

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Introduction | Task | Process | Guidance | Resources | Conclusion

Introduction
Baseball, one of America's favorite pastimes, is overflowing with mathematics. The National Baseball Statisticians Organization has asked you to step up to the plate! They need your help to analyze several seasons of baseball data. You'll also be asked to create a scale drawing of a professional baseball field. The game is about to begin. Let's see if you can hit a home run!

Baseball Challenge 1:
First, create a scale drawing of a professional baseball field of your choice.

Baseball Challenge 2:
Next, gather different sets of baseball related data such as number of hits, times at bat, or home runs. Convert them into percents, fractions, and decimals, and then compare your data.

Baseball Challenge 3:
Last, put together a spreadsheet that displays all of your collected data and calculations. Then use your data to make some predictions.

Baseball Challenge 1:

The National Baseball Statisticians Organization wants you to create a scale drawing of a professional baseball field. You can use poster board, clay, drawing programs, or any other materials that are available to you to create this scale drawing. Be creative!

Baseball Challenge 2:

1. Choose three professional baseball teams and find or calculate the following statistics for each team:
   • the winning percent for each year from 1999-2002;
   • the total winning percent from the years 1999-2002;
   • earned run average (ERA) for 2001 and 2002;
   • team batting average for 2001 and 2002;
   • the percent of bases on balls (BB) to strikeouts (SO); an
   • the percent of runs batted in (RBI) to hits (H).
     
     
2. Next, write all of your percents as both fractions and decimals. Round all percents to the nearest whole percent. Make sure your fractions are in simplest form, and round all decimals to the hundredths place.
   
   
3. Finally, compare the data among your three teams. Write 1-2 paragraphs explaining which team, in your opinion, is a stronger team. Be sure to support your argument by using some of the statistics you gathered.

Baseball Challenge 3:

1. Now create a spreadsheet. Your spreadsheet should include all of the data you collected. Thus, you must include every set of data needed to make your calculations in addition to your calculations. For more details, visit the Guidance section.
   
   
2. Use your spreadsheet, calculations, and knowledge of probability to predict each of the following:
   • the number of games each of your three teams would win if they played 500 games during their season;
   • the number of bases on balls (BB) for each team if they had 2,750 strikeouts; and
   • the number of runs batted in (RBI’s) for each team if they had 1,500 hits (H).

Baseball Challenge 1:

1. When creating your scale drawing, find out the length between home plate and each of the following: left field, center field, and right field. Once you know those three lengths, you can set up your proportions.
   
   
2. To review writing and solving proportions, refer to Lessons 10-2 and 10-3 in your text.

Baseball Challenge 2:

1. When calculating the total winning percent of your chosen team, divide the total number of wins by the total number of games played for the 1999-2002 seasons.
   
   
2. To review writing percents as fractions and vice versa, refer to Lesson 10-5.
   
   
3. To review writing percents as decimals and vice versa, refer to Lesson 10-6.

Baseball Challenge 3:

1. Your spreadsheet should include all of your calculations and all of the required categories to complete each calculation. Therefore, you should have the following categories in your spreadsheet:
   • each team’s winning percent for each year between 1999-2002;
   • each team’s total winning percent;
   • each teams ERA for 2001 and 2002;
   • each team’s batting average for 2001 and 2002;
   • each team’s BB for the most current year;
   • each team’s SO for the most current year;
   • each team’s percent of BB to SO;
   • each team’s RBI for the most current year,;
   • each team’s H for the most current year; and
   • each team’s percent of RBI to H.
     You should have a total of 42 calculations.
     
     
2. When you write your percents as fractions and decimals, write those on a separate sheet of paper. Do not include those in your spreadsheet.
   
   
3. Predict the following things for each team you chose:
   • the number of games won,
   • the number of bases on balls, and
   • the number of runs batted in.

This information will be important when setting up your proportions. You can include your predictions on the same sheet of paper as your conversions from percents to decimals and fractions.

Resources

Listed below are some helpful Web sites for you to use.

Baseball Almanac
Baseball Reference
Baseball Parks
ESPN

Conclusion
The National Baseball Statisticians Organization wants to commend you for your hard work and dedication to the team. Because of you, the National Baseball Statisticians Organization can give out the appropriate awards to the most deserving teams. Your knowledge of ratios and proportions was a great asset to this organization, and they are extremely proud of your hard work and effort! Congratulations on a job well done!