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Mosquitoes//Pythagorean Baseball

Author(s): John Donovan, Gregory D. Foley and Thomas R. Butts


Source: The Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 107, No. 9 (May 2014), pp. 648-651
Published by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5951/mathteacher.107.9.0648
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media
clips
John Donovan // Gregory D. Foley and thomas r. Butts

Mosquitoes

sOUrce: httP://DicKersON.Gatech.eDU/FiLe/MOsQUitOes.htML
Imagine how tough life would be if
raindrops weighed 3 tons apiece as
they fell out of the sky at 20 mph.
Thats how raindrops look to a
mosquito, yet a raindrop weighing
50 times more than one can hit
the insect and the mosquito will
survive. . . .

Source: Splish Splat? Why Raindrops Dont Kill Mosquitoes, NPRs Morning Edition, June 5, 2012,
http://www.npr.org/2012/06/05/154300189/splish-splat-why-raindrops-dont-kill-mosquitoes

The following questions help make (b) If we assume that the raindrop
sense of these comparisons. is a sphere, what is the radius in
meters?
1. An average-sized raindrop weighs
Media clips appears in every issue of Math- about 4 mg. In comparison, most 5. An average-sized raindrop is 2 mm
ematics Teacher, offering readers contem- mosquitoes weigh in at about 2.5 mg. in diameter, weighs 4 mg, and falls at
porary, authentic applications of quantita- How many times bigger is a 4 mg about 9 m/sec (see the physics fact-
tive reasoning based on print or electronic raindrop than a 2.5 mg mosquito? book at hypertextbook.com/facts).
media. all submissions should be sent to the
editors. For information on the department 2. The clip mentions 3 tons. How many (a) How much heavier is the 3-ton
and guidelines for submitting a clip, visit
pounds are in 3 tons? What would be raindrop than the average-sized
http://www.nctm.org/publications/content
.aspx?id=10440#media. the corresponding mass in kilograms? raindrop?

Edited by Louis Lim, louis.lim1@gmail.com 3. How many times heavier is a 3-ton (b) How much heavier is the 70-kg
Thornhill Secondary School, Thornhill, ON, raindrop than a person who weighs person than the average-sized
Canada 70 kg? mosquito?
Lionel Garrison, garrison@horacemann.org
4. The density of water is roughly 6. Does your analysis support the first
Horace Mann School, Bronx, NY
1000 kg/m3. statement from the clip?
Chris Bolognese, cbolognese@uaschools.org
Upper Arlington City Schools, Columbus, OH (a) Use this information to estimate 7. To find out how the mosquitoes sur-
the volume of the 3-ton raindrop vive, follow the link at the bottom of
in cubic meters. the clip.

648 MatheMatics teacher | Vol. 107, No. 9 May 2014


Copyright 2014 The National Council of Teachers This content downloaded
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This material may not be copied or distributed electronically or in any other use subject
without to http://about.jstor.org/terms
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pythagorean
Baseball
National league rst-round previews

D-backs vs. Brewers


Regular season records: Diamondbacks 94-68
(NL West champions), Brewers 96-66 (NL Central
champions).

Why the Diamondbacks can win: If you seeded the


field, one through eight, the D-backs would get the

MeLLiOtt1605/thiNKstOcK
eighth seed. They outscored foes by only 69 runs, for
a Pythagorean record of 88-74. Their strength is a
bullpen that allowed the lowest opponents on-base
percentage (.299) in the game, and an offense that has
both power (the third-most homers in the NL) and
speed (second-most stolen bases).

Source: Dave Sheinin, National League First-Round Previews, Sept. 30, 2011,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/national-league-first-round-previews/2011/09/30/gIQATsoDBL_story.html

1. As the clip states, the Arizona In 2011, the Brewers scored 721 runs 4. The article states that the Diamond-
Diamondbacks were the 2011 and allowed 638. backs outscored their opponents by
National League West champions with 69 runs. The stated Pythagorean
a record of 94 wins and 68 losses. (a) What was the Brewers Pythago- record of 88-74 was calculated using
rean winning percentage? an exponent of 1.83 instead of 2
(a) What was the teams winning throughout the Pythagorean formu-
percentage? (Winning percent- (b) What win-loss record for a 162- las, as is now often done by saber-
age equals wins divided by games game season would correspond metricians. According to our formula,
played and is typically reported to this Pythagorean winning the Diamondbacks Pythagorean
as a three-place decimal, not as a percentage? record would be 89-73. Use our for-
true percentage.) mula with an exponent of 2 to deter-
(c) How does this record compare mine a possible value for the number
<Baseball: questions>
(b) What was the winning percentage with the Brewers actual record? of runs allowed that would lead the
of the Diamondbacks playoff oppo- Diamondbacks to 89 Pythagorean
( )
2
nent, the Milwaukee Brewers? 3. If the number of Pythagorean wins runs scored wins in the season of 162 games.
Pythagorean winning
divided percentage
by the total=number of games
( ) ( )
2 2
2. According to Bill James, author of the played equals the Pythagoreanruns scored win-+ runs 5. allowed
Changing the number of runs
Baseball Abstract, an accurate predic- ning percentage, show that
<Baseball: questions> slightly will still result in round-
tor of a teams winning percentage is ing to 89 Pythagorean wins. Find
( )
2

the Pythagorean theorem of baseball: Pythagorean wins runs scored a range of values for the number
( ) = .
2
<Baseball: questions> runs scored losses
Pythagorean
( )
2
runs allowed of runs allowed that will result in
Pythagorean winning percentage =
( ) ( ) a Pythagorean record rounded to
2 2
runs scored + runs allowed
( ) 89-73. Explain your thought process,
2
runs scored
ing percentage = <Baseball: answers> keeping in mind that runs are whole
( ) ( ( )
2 2
runs scored + runs allowed
)
2
runs scored numbers.
Pythagorean wins
( ( ) ( )
= . 2 2
Pythagorean losses runs scored
) 721
2
runs allowed 519,841
= = 0.561.
( )
2

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2 2
Vol. 107,926,885
2
agorean wins runs scored runs scored + runs allowed 721 + 638 No. 9 May 2014 | MatheMatics teacher 649
= .
agorean losses
( )
2 This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 04:50:48 UTC
runs allowed <Baseball: answers>
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
<Baseball: question

media Clips ( runs sc


solutions <Baseball: winning
Pythagorean questions>
percentage =
(<Baseball:
runs scored )+
questi
2

( runs scored )
2

)= runs scored( ) .
record (of
Pythagorean winning percentage = <Baseball: runs
2
Mosquitoes answers about 2.5 mg (from question 1). (c)
( runs The Brewers
) questions>
+ ( runs
actual 2 2
Pythagorean scoredPythagorean
winning wins
allowed
percentage
<Baseball: = questions>
Thus, the person is 7/2.5 10 , or
( runsallowed
( runs scored) )
7
1. A raindrop is 4/2.5, or 1.6, times as 96-66Pythagorean
was 5 wins losses better than their 22

big as a mosquito. 28 million times as big.


( runs
predicted Pythagorean record
scored )
2

( ) ( runs scored )
2 2
Pythagorean winningwins
Pythagorean percentage =of 91-71.
runs scoredIn baseball-statistical
( . ) =+ (we ) + (answers
()runs scored )
2 2
2. Since 1 ton is 2000 lbs., 3 tons is 6. To compare 20 mph and 9 m/s,Pythagorean we = winning runspercentage
sabermetric scored lingo, runswould
allowedsay
<Baseball:
( runs )
Pythagorean
( wins 2
Pythagorean losses allowed runs scored
=runs
2
runs allo
6000 lbs. A kilogram corresponds to need the conversions: 1.60934 kilo- that the Brewers used their
approximately 2.20462 lbs. Dividing meters in a mile, 1000 meters in a
Pythagorean losses
efficiently. ( runs allowed
( ( ) ) (721) =
2 2 2
runs
runs scored
scored
6000 by 2.20462 shows that there are kilometer, and 3600 secondsPythagorean
in an wins
( =scored )
2
<Baseball:= answers> <Baseball: questions>
Pythagorean wins and. losses runs
Pythagorean(losses ) +allowed
(losses
about 2721.5575 kg in 3 tons. hour. So 20 mph is approximately 3. Because
( runs the
)= ( runs) aallowed
(<Baseball:
721) +.(638 )
2
runs scored wins
runs allowed must answe
2 2 2 2

Pythagorean team )
2
8.9408 m/s. This calculation supports total the number of games
( runsinscored ) (721) = 519,841 ( runs scored )
2 2 2
3. Using 2721.6 kg for the raindrop, we the 20 mph mentioned the clip. plays,
Pythagorean winning =
(
percentage
)<Baseball:0.561.
(721)
2 2
find that 2721.6/70 38.879. Thus, <Baseball:runs scored
answers>
( runs scored ) + (1.6
runs allowed ) (721)Pythagorean
+ (638) (wins scored )answers>
=+ ( runs allowed
2 2 2 2 2
926,885
runs
a 3-ton raindrop is about 40 times A 4-mg raindrop is about times
(total
runs scored ) + ( runs allowed )= (721) + (638)
Pythag
2 2 2 2

heavier than a person who weighs as heavy as a mosquito, but the 3-ton
( runsas scored
heavy )as runs scored (721) runs
number of games played Pythagorean win
2 2

70 kg. Alternately, the 70-kg person raindrop is about 40 times


( ) ( (721= ) 0.561.
519,841
2 2
Pythagorean = wins = scored 1 519,841
weighs 70 2.20462 154.3234 lbs. a 70-kg person.( runs
This scored ) + wins
is not
Pythagorean a ( runs allowed )
reason- 2
( 721)Pythagorean
+ (638
2
= ) = 926,885
wins
2
. =
2 .
( played )Pythagorean ( Pythagorean wins() + wins ( ) ( ) losses
1+
)
2 2 2 Pythagorean
2 losses
runs Pythagorean
scored = + runs losses
allowed 721 + 638 926,885 2
Again, the ratio 6000/154.3234 able comparison. Raindrops range
total number of games
runs allowed
Pythagorean Pyth
Pythagorean wins

38.879, or approximately 40. in size from 0.004 mg in a drizzle to =


total number 1 of games played Pythagorean w

4. (a) T
 he raindrop would be approxi-
300 mg in a heavy storm (see http://
hypertextbook.com/facts/1999 Pythagorean wins
=
1 + Pythagorean
Pythagorean winning
Pythagorean
.
losses <Baseball: answers>
wins Pythagorean
percentage =wins =
1runs sc (
=
( )
2
mately 2721.6 kg. Dividing the /MichaelKodransky.shtml). Pythagorean wins Pythagorean
1 + Pythagorean
runs scored w
losses
+
total number of games played Pythagorean wins = + Pythagorean losses wins
Pythagorean
total number of
(
games played
) Pythagorean
() ) wins + Pytha
2 2
mass by the density gives us the But we also 1know that
runs scored
(
runs =scored. 721 =1 = 519,841 1
2

volume 2721.6/1000 = 2.7216 m3 = .


2 0.5

of water.
7. A sneak Pythagorean
mosquito
peek at the answer:
merges briefly
winningThe
runs
with
percentage
thescored
2 =
(
+ runs allowed
runs scored
Pythagorean ) ((
1 + Pythagorean
Pythagorean

winning
2
2
losses

+ runs721
wins
= + Pythagorean
2
638 )) (( ) ( ))
+ Pythagorean
1allowed
percentage
2
1
= wins
( . allowed ) runs
926,885
runs
2 +losses
( runs scored )
2
(
( )
2
drop before the air drag against the runs scored
1
( ) (
2
(b) The volume of a sphere is related wings pulls it free again. = .
( runs allowed ) runs scored 1
))
2 22
to the radius by the equation Vsphere Pythagorean winning percentage
<Baseball: 1+=
questions> Pythagorean losses =runs 2allowed scored 2 .
Pythagorean ( runsruns
wins
(
)scored =+ runsPythagorean ) (( wins)2
( runs allowed
( )) (
2 2
Pythagorean winning percentage
scored =
allowed
= 1 +2
= (4/3)pr3. We can solve for the
3
radius as r = 73V/(4p). Thus, r =
Pythagorean Baseball answers
1. (a) Because the number of games
total number of games played Pythagorean
Pythagorean wins
runs scored wins runs + +Pythagorea
( runs scored )allo
runs
scored 2
)
( ( ) )
21
runs =scored 2 . 1 1
0.866 m for this 3-ton raindrop. played winning
Pythagorean equals wins plus losses,
percentage =
Pythagorean losses runs allowed ( runs allowed=) =
2
. 2.
( ( )
<Baseball: questions> +
=
( 1
() (
21 + ( runswins
allowed )
)
2 2 Pythagorean losses
Arizona played 94 + 68 = 162 runs scored + runs ( allowed2 ) +runs
2
69 allowed
Pythagorean wins Pythagorean 1 89+
)
losses a
runs scored Pythagorean
5. (a) T
 he 3-ton raindrop weighs in at games, and its winning percent- runs scored = )2
( runs=scored .
2,721.6 kg. An average raindrop age was 94/162 2
0.580. ( )
Therefore,
Pythagorean wins 73 a 2
runs ( )
scored
runs scored
( ) ( ( )
2

( () )
2 2
Pythagorean winning
mil- percentage = runs allowed runs scored
is 4 milligrams (mg). One Pythagorean wins Pythagorean
runs losses
scored percentage =
)
2 2

( ) (
Pythagorean winning a +=69
) losses 2 runs allowed
2 2

) ((( ))
= 89 wins Pythagorean.
+ runspercentage
()
2
runs scoredwinning allowed
) (
ligram is one thousandth of a (b) M  ilwaukees 2
+2 69allowed
Pythagorean =
( . scoredruns = scored + xaruns 2
Pythagorean losses 2
runs +
gram, and a kilogram is 1,000 was 96/162 0.593.
runs 73 allowed Pythagorean
a 2
wins runs y 89
=
1 scored=
1 73 x 2 + xa2+ 69
( 69
() ) .2
an
grams. We can do dimensional
( ) = .
2
runs scoredPythagorean win- ( runsproportional
allowed )
( ( ) )
2
analysis to get 2,721.6 kgPythagorean
1000 wins
2. (a)=Milwaukees <Baseball: establishes
answers> a +
2
69 the2
desired
1 +
. 89 x + 69
( )
2
. 89 y ( runs 69) (162
( )
2

(g per kg) 1000 (mg per Pythagorean


g) to get losses ning = +scored
=a round
( ( ))
2
runs percentage
allowed was y1 = relationship. 2 2 and 88.5 yx1 + ,0) 69 89.
2
73 a
( ) = .= f a
2
2,721,600,000 = 2.7216 10 mg 9
x 2
+ x + 69 1.20408 2 y
73 a 1 73.52
( ) ( ) 72.
) ( )
2 2 2
runs scored 721 4. We let
(
2 x + x + 69
in the giant raindrop. Dividing by 519,841
a representruns the allowed
number of
= Pythagorean = losses2 0.561.
4 tells us that the 3-ton raindrop <Baseball: 2 answers>
(
runs scored + runs allowed ) (
2 2
721 +Pythagorean
638) ( ) ( )
runs2
x + 69 so
allowed,
926,885 (
= a + 69 would be ) the
( )
(
22
is 2.7216/4 10 , or 6.804 10 .
9 8 88.5
1.20408 1 2f a y
number = wins
of runs
89.5 and yx +=69
runs ( ()
y2 1=1.23448.
scored, scored
and 2
round
then
)
(162 y1 ,0)
and y = ro8
That giant raindrop is 2.7216/4 2
9 (
runs scored ) 721
2
( ) 519,841
73.5
solve x + x + 72.5
69
x1.20408
2
+ x + 69
88.5
2 f a2
73.5 ( ) 7
()
10 = 680,400,000, or almost = = 0.561.
( )
2

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) a + 69
2 2 2 2
926,885
700 million runs
timesscored
as heavy+ as a allowed
runs 721 + 638 wins
Pythagorean Pythagorean 88.5 89 wins
typical raindrop. =
total number of games played Pythagorean wins73.5
1.20408 73 f a= 288.5
89.5 .
1.20408 a losses f a
+ Pythagorean 72.5
()
1.23448. 89.5
1.234 ()
(b) We would expect the team to win 73.5 72.5
1
(b) Using the same analysis, we find 0.561 162 91 games and=lose Pythagorean Cross . multiplication yields2 a qua-
that the person whoPythagorean
weighs wins
=162 91 = Pythagorean
71 games. winsthe
Thus,
1 + Pythagoreanlosses
dratic
wins equation
x + 69
y1 =that can be rewritten
(
and y2 = round(
)
( )
2
total number
70 kg is 70 1000 1000, of
or games played Brewers
Pythagorean wins +record
predicted Pythagorean
would losses as 0 = 16a 10,074a 2
x 2 + x +347,553. 69
7.0 107 mg. The mosquito is be 91-71. Solving this
( )
2 equation produces
1 runs scored
= .
Pythagorean winning percentage =
1 + Pythagorean
Pythagorean losses

( ) ( )
2 2
88.5 89.5
()
wins
650 Mathematics Teacher | Vol. 107, No. 9 May 2014 runs scored + runs 1.20408 allowed f a 1.23448.
This content downloaded from 131.247.112.3 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 04:50:48 UTC 73.5 72.5
1
( )
2
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
runs scored = .
( runs allowed )
2

Pythagorean winning percentage = 1+


layed Pythagorean 1 + Pythagorean
wins + Pythagorean losses
( )
wins 2
runs scored
1 Pythagorean winning percentage =
= .
( ) ( )
2 2

( ) runs scored + runs allowed


2
1 + Pythagorean losses
Pythagorean wins runs scored
ing percentage =
( ) ( ) 1
2 2
runs scored + runs allowed = .
(
runs-allowed values of about 32.792
) 662 results in ( the output
) y2 equal JOHN dONOVaN,
2
2 runs allowed
runs 1scored 1+
and=662.417. Disregard the negative to 89. We (
find scored )whole-number
runsthat jedonovan@plymouth.edu, who
2
ntage = .
( ) ( )
2 2
( )
2
solution
runs scored and
1 + + runs
runs expect
allowed that
allowed values of a runs allowed in the interval [622, contributed Mosquitoes, teach-
( runswould
scored )
2
around 662 yield 89 wins. 709] will work. The corresponding es mathematics and mathemat-
( )
2
1 Pythagorean losses runs allowed
= . numbers= of runs scored would range ics education at Plymouth state
( runs allowed )
2

15.+ If we multiply
( )
2
Pythagorean wins
( the
)
Pythagorean win- from 691 through 778, inclusive. University in New hampshire
2
( runs scoredruns
) allowed
2 runs scored
agorean losses
ning percentage by 162 and round The actual record for the Diamond- where he is chair of the Math-
=
( )
2
hagorean wins the product, runs scored we will have the number backs was 731 runs scored and 662 ematics Department. GReGORY
( ) ( )
2 2
losses of Pythagorean
runs allowed wins, y 2. We write runs
89 allowed,
a + 69 both within the range d. FOleY, foleyg@ohio.edu, the
= the following formulas, where x rep- =
calculated. . co-contributor of Pythagorean
( ( )) 73 a2
2
wins runs scored 2
resents
89 a +
the 69 number of runs allowed Baseball, is the robert L.
= .
and
73 1 the y a Pythagorean winning
2 Alternate solution: Let f(a) = Morton Professor of Mathemat-
( )
2
+ 69
(a + 69)2/a2x. Because
( percentage
) wins, losses, ics education at Ohio University in athens.
2
89 a + 69 y1 = and y2 = round(162 y1,0)
= and runs are all
( whole
) numbers, we he has had a lifelong love for both baseball
2
.
( ) x 2 + x + 69
2
73 a2 x + 69 seek values of f(a) such that and mathematics. THOmas R. BUTTs,
y = and y = round(162 y ,0)
( )
1 2 2 1
x 2 + x + 69 tbutts@utdallas.edu, the co-contributor
( ) 88.5 89.5
()
2
x + 69 of Pythagorean Baseball, is professor
1.20408 f a 1.23448.
y1 = and y2 = round(162 y1 ,0) 73.5 72.5 emeritus of mathematics education at the
( )
2
x 2 + x + 69
1.20408
88.5
73.5
f a
89.5
72.5
()
1.23448.
and use the table feature of a calcu- Scrolling through a table of values for
University of texas at Dallas. a disciple of
George Plya, Butts has presented many
lator to examine the results. A range f(a) reveals that 622 a 709 and, talks on questioning and problem solving
20408
88.5
73.5
ofx-values
89.5
f a in the
72.5
()
1.23448.
neighborhood of thus, 691 a + 69 778. and has written numerous articles and
activities for teachers and students.

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Vol. 107, No. 9 May 2014 | MatheMatics teacher 651


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