How many meters wide is the basketball court?
20 points
Name:__________________________ Date:____________ Period:______
Write your determination of the width of the basketball court, in meters, right here:______________
Description: Each group of 2-3 students measure the width of the
basketball court, using meter sticks. Data is pooled and the mean and standard
deviation is calculated. The actual width of the basketball court is
obtained from the internet, and converted from feet to meters. This value
is compared to the student mean and the percentage error is calculated.
The group with the value closest to the reference value receives 5 bonus points.
Materials: meter sticks
| A | B | C | D | |
| Group | Width (m) | Mean width (m) | A-B | C2 |
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
| 9 | ||||
| 10 | ||||
| 11 | ||||
| 12 | ||||
| Total | -------- | |||
| Mean | -------- | -------- | -------- |
What was the width, in inches, of the court, as measured by the class instructor? ____________
Multiply the width in inches by 2.54 to get width in centimeters.
Multiply the width in centimeters by __________ to get the width in meters.
Below, write down the method the instructor uses to measure the field. Why is it a better, more accurate method?
The class with the lowest standard deviation is the most precise. Calculate the standard deviation below:
standard deviation (sd) =
x = mean xn = a particular value of a measurement d = xi - xn= deviation
N = the number of measurements (Groups)
The class with the smallest standard deviation is the most precise, and will receive up to 10 minutes free time in the cafeteria on the final day of this unit, if all students present have turned in their unit packets. Inattentive and careless students increase the standard deviation and decrease precision.
To answer the question of whether the court is set up right, compare the instructor obtained value to the regulation value.
Use Yahoo to search for the width of a regulation sized basketball court. Insert that value, in feet, here:__________
There are 3.28 feet in a meter. Divide the width of the basketball court in feet by 3.28 to get meters.
Subtract the width of the court in meters, above, from the Instructor's width, in meters. How much is our court off?
To answer the question of how close the class is to the actual value (accuracy), subtract the mean width of the court in meters, from the table, from the Instructor's measurement, in meters.
Divide the difference computed above by the Instructor's width in meters. Multiply by 100 to get percentage error.