What time is it? Game Time!

It's Basketball Season again which means Fantasy Basketball is hotter than ever. Basketball players are incredible
athletes, and their statistics are filled with many mathematical concepts.
As a class we are going to decide, based on 2008-2009 statistics, which Point guard, Shooting guard, Small forward,
Power forward and Center we want on our fantasy Basketball team!

Task
In order to beat the other 8th grade classes, we need to choose our players wisely. Our selections must be based on
factual information that we find using resources on the Web.You will search for statistics from the 2008-2009 NBA
season on five different Point guards, Shooting guards, Small forwards, Power forwards and Centers. The class will
be divided into four different groups. Each group will have a different set of statistics to look up and will create
three graphical representations of the statistics they find. Groups will present their work to the class. As a class we
must work together to decide which players we want to draft on our fantasy Basketball team.

Process
The purpose of this assignment is to learn a little about making predictions and have some fun while doing it. We
will do this by dividing the class into groups. Each group will research a different set of statistics of fifteen well
known NBA players. Your group will use these statistics and convert them into fractions, decimals, and percents.
Three graphical representations must be created displaying your statistics.
As a class, we will compare each group’s graphs, and predict which players would most likely score us the most
points on a Fantasy Basketball Team.

Each group will research the following twenty- five players:

Point guard Shooting guard
Chris Paul Kobe Bryant
Tony Parker Kevin Martin
Chauncey Billups Ben Gordon
Derrick Rose O.J. Mayo
Deron Williams Ray Allen
Small forward Power forward
Lebron James Kevin Garnett
Carmelo Anthony Dirk Nowitzki
Richard Jefferson David West
Shane Battier Kenton Martin
Trevor Ariza Pau Gasol
Center
Yao Ming
Shaquille O’Neal
Dwight Howard
Andrew Bynum
Jermaine O’Neal
Group #1:
You have been asked to find the average number of 2 point field goals per game, 3 point field goals per game, and
field goal percentage for each of the players in the above positions. You will use the following URL’s to find
statistical information on these players from the 2008-2009 NBA season. After you have determined the these values
you must be sure to represent this average as a fraction, decimal, and percent of teams points. You will create a
graphical representation of the statistics you found from each position (That’s a total of three graphs). The three
graphs you should use are as follows: circle graph, histogram, and line graph. Remember, your group will present
these graphs to the class.
**Hint: You need to know how many games are played in the regular season**
Group #2:
You have been asked to find the average number of assists per game, turnovers per game, their ratio of assist to
turnovers, the percentage of their team’s points that they scored over the season in the above positions. You will use
the following URL’s to find statistical information on these players from the 2008-2009 NBA season. After you
have determined these values you must be sure to represent this average as a fraction, decimal, and percent. You will
create a graphical representation of the statistics you found from each position (That’s a total of three graphs). The
three graphs you should use are as follows: circle graph, histogram, and line graph. Remember, your group will
present these graphs to the class.
**Hint: You need to know how many games are played in the regular season**
Group # 3:
You have been asked to find the average number of turnovers forced (steals and blocked shots combined) per game,
average number of free throws made per game, and free throw percentage by each of the above positions. . You will
use the following URL’s to find statistical information on these players from the 2008-2009 NBA season. After you
have determined these values you must be sure to represent this average as a fraction, decimal, and percent. You will
create a graphical representation of the statistics you found from each position (That’s a total of three graphs). The
three graphs you should use are as follows: circle graph, histogram, and line graph. Remember, your group will
present these graphs to the class.
**Hint: You need to know how many games are played in the regular season**
Group #4:
You have been asked to find the average offensive rebounds per game, defensive rebounds per game, their ratio of
defensive rebounds to offensive rebounds, minutes played per game, fouls per game by each of the above positions.
You will use the following URL’s to find statistical information on these players from the 2008-2009 NBA season.
After you have determined these you must be sure to represent this average as a fraction, decimal, and percent. You
will create a graphical representation of the statistics you found from each position (That’s a total of three graphs).
The three graphs you should use are as follows: circle graph, histogram, and line graph. Remember, your group will
present these graphs to the class.
**Hint: You need to know how many games are played in the regular season**

Websites with basketball stats

http://www.nba.com/statistics/
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats
http://prosportsdaily.sportsdirectinc.com/basketball/nba-statistics.aspx?page=/data/nba/statistics/2008-
2009/statistics_playoffs.html

Averages and Converting between fractions, decimals, and percents:

http://regentsprep.org/Regents/math/percent/Lpercent.htm
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/percents.htm
http://www.learningwave.com/chapters/decimal13/basics/convert.html
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/Converter/
 Evaluation
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score
1 2 3 4
Graphical Title matches topic.
The title matches the
Representations Title doesn't match topic. Key (legend) is
topic well. Correct and
No key or legend. Scales incomplete. The The title matches the
complete key (legend).
are inappropriate. Data is graph is presentable topic. Good key
Scales are appropriate.
not plotted accurately but lacks neatness. (legend). Graph is neat
Graph is easy to
and graph is hard to Data is not plotted and presentable.
interpret, neat and
interpret. completely
presentable.
accurately.
Oral Presentation Presentation lacks a
Presentation is Presentation shows
sense of organization.
adequately organized. thoughtful planning Presentation is clearly
Members speak softly
Every member and organization. Each organized. Each member
and cannot be
speaks, and eye member contributes speaks clearly, and
understood. Eye contact
contact is used some and maintains proper maintain eye contact.
is minimal or non
of the time. demeanor.
existant.
Accuracy of Work Some of the data
There were many Most data collected All data collected was
collected was
inaccuracies in data was accurate and most accurate and
accurate and some of
collection and computations were computations involved
the computations
computation. accurate. no errors.
were accurate.
Teamwork Student was Student respected other
Student did not partipate Student respected most
respectful and group members and
or respect other group group members and
particpated some of participated all of the
members. participated often.
the time. time.

Conclusion
You've reached the end of your WebQuest, we're almost done! I hope you have enjoyed learning about
mathematics found in the real world. Through this WebQuest you've calculated averages, converted
between fractions, decimals, and percents, and put your data into three different graphical
representations.
It's now time for each group to present their graphs. Together, as a class, we must make a prediction of
which players we should draft for our Fantasy Basketball Team. Keep in mind, we want players that will
score us the most points, because we want to beat the other 8th grade classes. Based upon the data you
found, who will we draft? Did you like this activity?