Example Of Mathematics In Basketball

Mathematics In Basketball

Mathematics isn’t simply just a part of basketball, but it completely consumes and surrounds the game. Varying from the score, time, number of quarters, how many minutes each player plays, how far a shot is, the shot clock, the game clock, court measurements, passing options, jumpshot angles, averages, ratios etc. the list goes on and on. I chose to write on this topic because I feel many people overlook the great game of basketball and all the mathematical principles that are included in it.

First of course are court measurements. The hoop diameter is approximately 18 inches wide and the length from hoop to hoop usually ranges from 84 to 94 feet depending on what facility you are playing in, also the court wideness would normally be about 50 feet. A men’s basketball itself is about 9.5 inches in diameter whereas a women’s’ ball is 9.2 inches in diameter. Basketball sizes may not seem like a big difference on paper, but in a game, an experienced player such as myself could definitely feel the difference in my hands. Next, a three-pointer, known as a three-point field goal is a shot in basketball made from beyond the three-point line. The three-point line is a designated, arced line, about 19 feet away from the basket. A successful trial is worth three points, in contrast to the two points given for shots made inside the three-point line which is called the key. The key in most gyms can range anywhere from two feet to 10 feet away from the rim. A three-point play can also be made if the player makes a shot inside the three-point line and is fouled in the act of shooting, and then makes the following free throw after. Now some believe that the maximum possible amount of points that can be score during a po...

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... the next fastest release is 0.54 of a second; but by this time the ball is released, Curry’s ball would already be 12 feet above the court. This analysis shows that things such as angle, trajectory and speed all play a very important role when shooting a basketball.

To conclude, basketball, in its own way, is intertwined with many different variations of math ranging from simple geometry, to algebra, to even calculus. Aspects such as angle, trajectory, strategy, speed, arc, and power all play a very important role when participating in the sport of basketball. Among with other great statistical formulas and averages, great ones like the Player Efficiency Rating gives basketball that much more of an enjoyment advantage to the game over many other sports. While mathematics is still overlooked in basketball today, it still entirely surrounds and lives in the game.