Sports math : an introductory course in the mathematics of sports science and sports analytics

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Title:

Sports math : an introductory course in the mathematics of sports science and sports analytics

Author:

Minton, Roland B., 1956- author.

ISBN:

9781498706261

Personal Author:

Minton, Roland B., 1956- author.

Physical Description:

xxi, 256 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Series:

Textbooks in mathematics

Textbooks in mathematics (Boca Raton, Fla.)

General Note:

Source of cataloging data: WCP

Abstract:

"This is a textbook for a course in sports science or sports analytics. The opening section is on standard mathematical sports examples which are physics-related, including projectile motion and rotational motion. A middle section introduces several rating systems. Many of these matrix-based systems were made famous by the soon-defunct college football BCS system. The final section of the book contains statistical analysis of sports, taking in Moneyball-like techniques. Game strategies and player evaluation are the main goals of these chapters."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Projectile motion -- Rotational motion -- Sports illusions -- Collisions -- Rating systems -- Voting systems -- Saber- and other metrics -- Randomness in sports -- Sports strategies -- Big data and beyond.

Subject Term:

Sports -- Mathematics.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Sugar Grove - Todd Library	Book	GV706.8 .M56 2017	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

Can you really keep your eye on the ball? How is massive data collection changing sports?

Sports science courses are growing in popularity. The author's course at Roanoke College is a mix of physics, physiology, mathematics, and statistics. Many students of both genders find it exciting to think about sports. Sports problems are easy to create and state, even for students who do not live sports 24/7. Sports are part of their culture and knowledge base, and the opportunity to be an expert on some area of sports is invigorating. This should be the primary reason for the growth of mathematics of sports courses: the topic provides intrinsic motivation for students to do their best work.

From the Author:

"The topics covered in Sports Science and Sports Analytics courses vary widely. To use a golfing analogy, writing a book like this is like hitting a drive at a driving ran≥ there are many directions you can go without going out of bounds. At the driving range, I pick out a small target to focus on, and that is what I have done here. I have chosen a sample of topics I find very interesting. Ideally, users of this book will have enough to choose from to suit whichever version of a sports course is being run."

"The book is very appealing to teach from as well as to learn from. Students seem to have a growing interest in ways to apply traditionally different areas to solve problems. This, coupled with an enthusiasm for sports, makes Dr. Minton's book appealing to me." --Kevin Hutson, Furman University

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

This work discusses how mathematics is used to analyze popular American sports like football, baseball, and basketball. Minton (mathematics, Roanoke College) has based this book on several of his undergraduate courses. The book covers two major aspects: the physics involved in sports (e.g., the motion of a ball) and the statistics used to make probabilistic ratings of performance and success. The beginning chapters consider topics from mechanics, such as "Projectile Motion," "Rotational Motion," and "Collisions." The rest of the text is devoted to statistics used in sports ratings and analysis, with many examples from specific games played in the big leagues or by major colleges. The material covered is selective and quirky; the level of analytical mathematics and statistics ranges from simple to advanced, including calculus, matrixes, and game theory. Each chapter has solved examples and end-of-chapter questions, problems, and suggestions for projects. There are pictures and graphs interspersed throughout the text. The book is not suitable as a standard text in any conventional course--it will best serve as a supplement. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. --Nanjundiah Sadanand, Central Connecticut State University

Preface	p. xiii
List of Figures	p. xvii
List of Tables	p. xxi
1 Projectile Motion	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Figuring with Newton	p. 1
Hangin' with MJ: 1-D Motion	p. 3
Raining 3's with Steph: 2-D Motion	p. 4
K's with Kershaw: Terminal Velocity and Drag Forces	p. 6
Calculus Box: Solving for Velocity	p. 7
Bending with Bubba: Magnus Force	p. 8
Smiling with Dimples	p. 11
Calculus Box: A General Model of a Ball in Flight	p. 12
The Effects of Drag and Lift	p. 13
Knuckling Down	p. 15
Calculus Box: Lateral Position of a Knuckleball	p. 17
Exercises	p. 18
Further Reading	p. 23
2 Rotational Motion	p. 25
Introduction	p. 25
Going in Circles	p. 26
Torquing Off Newton	p. 28
All About MOI	p. 29
Size Is Important	p. 30
Calculus Box: Calculating MOI	p. 30
Equipment Design	p. 31
Supercats and Tamedogs	p. 32
Keeping the Momentum	p. 33
Exercises	p. 34
Further Reading	p. 38
3 Sports Illusions	p. 39
Introduction	p. 39
You Can't Keep Your Eye on the Ball	p. 39
You Can't Touch This	p. 41
You Can't Teach Size	p. 42
You Can't Afford the Yardage	p. 43
You Can't Bend That Way	p. 45
You Can't Make That Call!	p. 46
You Can't Clear That Bar	p. 49
Exercises	p. 50
Further Reading	p. 54
4 Collisions	p. 55
Introduction	p. 55
Linear Momentum	p. 56
Impulse and Force	p. 57
Calculus Box: Integration	p. 59
Giving to Receive	p. 60
Tendons and Tennis	p. 61
Coefficient of Restitution	p. 62
Incoming and Outgoing	p. 63
Derivative Works	p. 65
The Way the Ball Bounces	p. 66
Freeze Frame	p. 67
Exercises	p. 68
Further Reading	p. 71
5 Ratings Systems	p. 73
Introduction	p. 73
Right versus Best	p. 74
Ratings versus Rankings	p. 74
The Massey System	p. 75
Connected Schedules	p. 77
Massey Win Ratings	p. 78
Offense and Defense	p. 79
Least Squares Equivalence	p. 79
Wins versus Points	p. 80
The Colley System	p. 81
A Flaky Scaling Problem	p. 82
The Elo System	p. 83
Strength of Schedule	p. 85
Computing Probabilities	p. 85
Weighty Issues	p. 86
Calculus Box: A Recipe for Reduction of Matrices	p. 87
Exercises	p. 90
Further Reading	p. 94
6 Voting Systems	p. 95
Introduction	p. 95
How They Vote	p. 96
Condorcet's Intransitive Attitude	p. 97
Preference Lists, Voting Systems, and Chaos	p. 99
Fairness and the Arrow of Impossibility	p. 101
Positional Voting Systems	p. 102
A Return to Sports Voting	p. 103
Simulations	p. 104
Range Voting	p. 106
PageRank and MVPassing	p. 108
Seeding of Tournaments	p. 110
Probability Box: Put Some Error Bars on Those Things	p. 112
Exercises	p. 113
Further Reading	p. 119
7 Saber- and Other Metrics	p. 121
Introduction	p. 121
The Pythagorean Cult	p. 122
When Good Statistics Go Bad	p. 125
Rates versus Numbers	p. 127
Persistence and Reliability	p. 128
On the Defensive	p. 130
Plus and Minus	p. 131
Park Factors	p. 132
Four Factors, Fenwick, and Football	p. 134
Evaluation and Prediction	p. 137
Regression to the Mean	p. 138
Linear Weights: A Prelude to WAR	p. 139
Calculus Box: Linear Regression	p. 141
Roger Maris and the Hall of Fame	p. 141
Now Trending	p. 142
Exercises	p. 144
Further Reading	p. 150
8 Randomness in Sports	p. 151
Introduction	p. 151
Summing Up the Basics	p. 152
Prediction is Difficult	p. 154
A Slump or a Disaster	p. 155
Calculus Box: Probability	p. 156
May the Best Team Win	p. 157
Measuring Parity: Gini in a Bottle	p. 158
Measuring Parity: Luck versus Skill	p. 161
The Paradox of Skill	p. 162
Measuring Parity: Entropy	p. 163
Declaration of Independence	p. 164
Conditional Probability	p. 165
The Hot Hands	p. 166
Not So Fast, My Friend	p. 167
Runs Tests	p. 168
Joltin Joe and The Streak	p. 169
Not Following the Rules	p. 170
BABIP and DIPS	p. 171
Random Thoughts	p. 172
Exercises	p. 173
Further Reading	p. 178
9 Sports Strategies	p. 179
Introduction	p. 179
Don't Punt, John!	p. 180
Bill Belichick's Gambles	p. 181
The Value of a Play	p. 183
Markov Chain Models	p. 184
The Expected Runs Matrix	p. 187
Win Probability and Leverage	p. 187
Game Control and the Story Stat	p. 188
Game Theory	p. 189
Upsetting the Game Theory	p. 193
Getting and Giving Two	p. 194
The Physical Challenge	p. 195
Personnel Decisions: Aging	p. 196
Personnel Decisions: Transfer Fees and Stars	p. 197
Exercises	p. 199
Further Reading	p. 202
10 Big Data and Beyond	p. 203
Introduction	p. 203
Big Data Is Watching You	p. 204
A Theory of Everything	p. 205
Catch Me If You Can	p. 207
Getting Framed	p. 208
Anonymous Field Goal Kicking	p. 209
On the Rebound	p. 211
Breaching the Convex Hull	p. 213
Calculus Box: A Goal-Scoring Model	p. 215
Showing Hot and Cold	p. 217
RIP to the RPI	p. 218
Blackbox Analytics	p. 220
PeeWee Analytics	p. 222
Wearable Tech	p. 223
Exercises	p. 223
Further Reading	p. 226
Answers and Selected Solutions	p. 227
Index	p. 253

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Table of Contents