In this course, students will learn about the mathematics found in baseball using Google Sheets as well as other tools and software. Topics will include a study in statistics, analyzing measures of central tendency as well as two-way frequencies tables. Students will work as a scouts, analyzing rates and speeds as found in the sport and as general managers, analyzing trends and making math-based decisions. Students will also work as team managers, looking at probabilities of independent events and trends in data. Finally, students will research the history of baseball, and complete a culminating final project.
Prerequisites:Algebra 1
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
- Create a google sheet with specific formatting and use of basic equations.
- Calculate the measure of central tendency.
- Analyze the effect of outliers on a spread of data.
- Students will calculate variance and explain what variance says about a data set.
- Students will form and support an opinion on the use of sabermetrics in baseball.
- Calculate standard deviation and explain what it says about a data set.
- Students will create box and whisker plots based on given data sets.
- Students will create and analyze two-way frequency charts and relative two-way frequency charts.
- Students will calculate and compare the pitching statistics ERA and WHIP.
- Analyze pie graphs and histograms.
- Create data displays.
- Create scatter plots in Google sheets and find the equation of trendlines.
- Predict outcomes based on linear regression.
- Analyze data displays as they relate to baseball.
- Solve for sides of right triangles use the Pythagorean Theorem.
- Apply the Law of Cosines to find distances in triangles.
- Calculate distance, rate and time.
- Calculate average rate of change of a function.
- Write linear equations to model distance with respect to time.
- Write quadratic equations to model the height of a ball with respect to time.
- Solve proportions.
- Create scale drawings
- Calculate and analyze ratios statistics in baseball.
- Create exponential models using Google Sheets.
- State the difference between correlation and causation.
- Form and defend arguments in regard to correlation and causation.
- Use models and data displays to make predictions.
- Calculate basic probability.
- Find probability of independent and dependent events.
- Find expected value and use it to make decisions in baseball.
- Write a short research paper
- Compile and analyze baseball statistics.
Course Outline:
Module 1: Statistics in Baseball
Module 2: Analyzing Statistics in Baseball
Module 3: Representing Data Graphically
Module 4: Rates and Distance in Baseball
Module 5: Ratios in Baseball
Module 6: Modeling in Baseball
Module 7: Probability in Baseball
Module 8: The History of Baseball
Module 9: End of Game Project
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: None.
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school mentor is also able to access this score within the Student Learning Portal. Schools may use this score for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Additional Information: None