Unit 2 WebQuest Project

The Wide World of Soccer

Introduction | Task | Process | Guidance | Resources | Conclusion

Introduction
Soccer fans, get up on your feet! You've been selected by an elite committee to join us on a world-wide soccer adventure. Along the way, you'll be gathering data about the geography of countries where soccer is the favorite sport. You'll also make some predictions about the future of soccer in the United States. We will be leaving on our adventure very shortly, so pack your math tools and your thinking cap. This is one adventure you don't want to miss.

Soccer Goal 1:
First, find and graph the location of the capital cities of 10 different countries in which soccer is the country's favorite sport. A printable map for your use is found in the Process section.

Soccer Goal 2:
Second, research and describe some of the international rules of the game of soccer.

Soccer Goal 3:
Third, gather data about the growth of college and professional soccer in the United States. Graph this data, and use your graphs to predict the future of soccer in the United States.

The Process
Below is a detailed description of each soccer goal.

Soccer Goal 1:
For this activity, you need to find the capital cities of each of the following soccer-loving countries.

Argentina
Brazil
China
England
France
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Norway
South Africa
South Korea
Spain

Then you will need to find the latitude and longitude of each city and graph their location on the map provided.

Soccer Goal 2:
Next, use the Internet to research and then describe some of the international rules of soccer that are not absolutes, but instead allow a range of acceptable possibilities.

1. Describe in words the possible length and width in meters of the field used for international soccer matches. Then, letting l represent length and w represent width, describe each of these dimensions using four different inequalities.
   
   
2. Find one field marking and one flag post rule that allows for a range of possibilities. Then describe each rule using an inequality.
   
   
3. Find a rule about the dimensions of the goals used in soccer that can be described using an inequality. Then write an inequality to describe this rule.
   

Soccer Goal 3:
Your final goal will be to use the Internet to find data on the growth of soccer in the United States as a college sport.

1. Find the numbers of men and women's varsity soccer teams in the U.S. since 1987. Make two separate scatter plots of the data, one titled U.S. Men's Varsity Soccer and the other U.S. Women's Varsity Soccer. Label the axes for each graph with the year on the x-axis and the number of men's or women's teams on the y-axis.
   
   
2. Graph each of the following equations on the graph.
   
   

U.S. Men’s Varsity Soccer	y = 15x – 29,280
	y = 4x – 7,300
U.S. Women’s Varsity Soccer	y = 46x – 91,225
	y = 60x – 119,000




3. Determine which equation best fits the data and then use that equation to predict the number of men’s and women’s varsity soccer teams in the U.S. in the year 2010.
   
   
4. Finally, gather all of the data you have collected for all three Goals and create a presentation. Your presentation should include the following:
   
   • your map, with the capital cities graphed on it;
   • a list of the latitude and longitude of each city;
   • the soccer rules you found and the inequalities that represent them;
   • an organized list of your men's and women's varsity soccer teams data;
   • both of your graphs;
   • all calculations used to graph the data and equations;
   • an explanation as to which equations you feel best fit the data; and
   • your calculations and predictions as to the number of men's and women's varsity soccer teams in the U.S.
     

Soccer Goal 1:
To review graphing, refer to Lesson 3-3 in your text.

Soccer Goal 2:
To review inequalities, refer to Lesson 4-5.

Soccer Goal 3:

1. To review scatter plots, refer to Lesson 2-2 in your text.
   
   
2. Some of the presentations that you could create are:
   
   • a Web page,
   • a PowerPoint^® presentation,
   • a poster, or
   • a video.
     
     

Resources
In need of some helpful Web sites? Below are some sites that you are encouraged to use throughout the duration of this quest.
www.epicsoccer.com/Soccer_Resources/
www2.ncaa.org/media_and_events/ncaa_publications/research/index.html
About.com
www.factmonster.com/countries.html

Conclusion
Goal!! Congratulations on successfully completing all the challenges before you. You've learned more about the world's most popular sport, where it is played, and its growth in popularity in our own country. We hope you enjoyed your quest!