Math Activities

Microsoft Fastball Physics

Math & Science Activity

In the spring, many students' thoughts turn to... baseball. This lesson uses baseball to teach the fundamentals of aerodynamics in a way that every student will enjoy. By experimenting with wind tunnel simulation software, students will learn about the forces that give airplanes their lift and curveballs their curve. A curveball contest will let students put their aerodynamic insight to the test.

Lexington Legends Team Stats

Sabermetrics is the science of analyzing baseball statistics. Go here to find out more.

Sabermetrics

Use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet that calculates the cost of a Legends Baseball Game for you and your closest friends.  Include tickets, snacks and souveniers.

Lexington Legends Tickets

Watch a baseball game film of your favorite team and use the formulas below to keep

 the teams stats.

This is from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. There is a practice problem for each formula.

		Batting Average (AVG):Divide the number of base hits by the total number of at bats. If Tony Gwynn has 600 at bats and has 206 hits			His batting average would be .343 (206/600)
		Earned Run Average (ERA):Multiply the total number of earned runs by nine, and divide the results by the total innings pitched. Randy Johnson has allowed 67 runs in 220 innings. What's his ERA?			Multiply 67 by 9: 67x9=603.  Divide 603 by 220 (his innings pitched):  603/220=2.74.  That's his ERA
		W-L percentage: Divide the number of games won by the total number of decisions. Pedro Martinez has a 16-3 record			Divide his win total(16) by his total number of decisions (19):16/19=0.842
		Slugging Percentage (SLG):Divide the total number of bases of all base hits by the total number of times at bat Sammy Sosa has 282 total bases and 440 at-bats.			Divide 282 by 440 to get his slugging percentage: 282/440=.641
		On-Base Percentage (OBP):Divide the total number of hits plus Bases on Balls plus hits by Pitch BY at Bats plus Bases on Balls plus hit by Pitch plus Sacrifice Flies In Derek Jeter's 434 at-bats, he has 152 hits, 59 walks, and has been hit by 9 pitches. He's hit 6 sacrifice flies.			So here's the formula to determine his on-base average: (152+59+9)/(434+59+9+6)=220/508=.433
		Fielding Average :Divide the total number of putouts and assists by the total number of putouts, assists and errors. Edgardo Alfonzo has 218 putouts and 290 assists, while committing only 2 errors.			So his fielding percentage is : (218+290)/(218+290+2)=508/510=.996
		Magic Numbers:Determine the number of games yet to be played, add one, then subtract the number of games ahead in the loss column of the standings from the closest opponent. So here's Texas' magic number:			Games remaining (50) +1=51. 51-7=44. The Rangers' magic number to clinch the AL West is

Use the following links and maybe even your graphing calculator to create a graph for each set of data.

Jim Fraser's Sabermetrics Page

Retrosheet

Sabermetrics Statistic Glossary

How is baseball a number game? Visit these links to find out.

Pythagoras Plays Ball

About the Players' Stats

Scoring the Game