Archive for the ‘Olympic Maths’ Category
August 12, 2024
You have all seen those Olympic Medal Charts. USA on top. But really the medal count should be based on the number of:
GOLD MEDALS PER HEAD OF POPULATION
We Aussies think we are sports MAD, that we punch above our weight! But those crazy Dutch have beaten us. Here are the TOP 25 medal-winning countries reordered per MILLION of population.
Posted in decimals, Middle School, Olympic Maths | Tagged 2024, Aussie, country, Dutch, Georgia, Gold Medals, Ireland, List, Netherlands, Norway, Olympic Games, Paris, per head, population, Winner | Leave a Comment »
July 29, 2024
In the article ‘Why Some Olympic Swimmers think about math in the pool’ in the NYT today
Kate Douglas (above), statistics graduate and USA Olympic swimmer, has used an accelerometer on her back, which measures her movement in 3 spatial directions 512 times per sec, to see where she could reduce drag and improve her swimming times. Could she improve her stroke technique, kick style or the depth she dipped her head under water?
By analysing the data she found she could reduce drag by changing the angle of how she pulled her head out of the water saving 0.15 sec per pullout.
In her research paper, Douglas wrote: “Force applied in any direction other than forward is not helping an athlete achieve their dream of Olympic gold.”
Douglas lifts her head out of the water 20 times per lap. The 200m breaststroke race (above) involves 4 laps so Douglas lifts her head 80 times.
Using math data Douglas could save
= 80 x 0.15 sec
=12 secs
Wow!
Of course, other swimmers could do likewise, but in the Olympic trials (above) Douglas won by 1.35 secs. Every 0.01 sec counts.
According to the NYT ‘Kyle Chalmers, the Australian sprinter who is a three-time Olympian has partnered with a Sydney-based sports technology lab that created a device to measure the force generated by a swimmer’s hands as they stroke through the water.’
So far this Olympics he has 1 silver medal in the 4 x 100m relay.
2024 Olympic Medal Update:
American swimmer: 2 Gold & 2 Silver Medals
Kyle Chalmers
Australian Swimmer: 2 Silver & 1 Bronze.
Posted in Decimals, Middle School, Olympic Maths | Tagged 2024, Australia, data, drag, Kate Douglas, Kyle Chalmers, Math, Maths, Olympics, Paris, statistics, swimmer, swimming, team, USA | Leave a Comment »
July 7, 2024
OR Lego Man Speed = 0.25 mph
Posted in decimals, Junior School, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Ratio, units length, units speed | Tagged 2024, Carl Lewis, exercise, Fun, GAMES, Lego, marathon, Math, Middle school, Olympic, Paris, ratio, scale | Leave a Comment »
July 30, 2021
Posted in decimals, Junior School, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Ratio, Uncategorized, units length, units speed | Tagged 2020, Carl Lewis, Lego, Lego Olympics Marathon, marathon, Math, Middle school, Olympics, ratio, scale, Tokyo | Leave a Comment »
June 27, 2016
Posted in 1 Second, Arithmetic, Junior School, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Rates, Senior School, units length, units speed, Year 7 mathspig, Year 9 Mathspig | Tagged 1 Second, 14 year old, baseball, bike rider, distance, dolphin, F1, fastest, jet, Math %, Olympic, record, skateboard, speed, swimmer | Leave a Comment »
February 23, 2012
Get ready mathspigs. You need one Lego Man, Girl, Vampire or Alien each for this exercise. Now we are going to set out the Lego Olympics Athletics track.
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But this story of the Olympics begins with Carl Lewis, one of the greatest athletes of all time who won 9 Olympic Gold medals in 100m, 200m, relay and long jump.
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Carl Lewis
Mathspig needs to find out how big the Lego Olympics track would be. How? Easy.
Carl Lewis will be our standard Lego Man.
I chose Carl Lewis because he kindly gave me his autograph once when I sprinted in high heels across a ballroom floor at a sports dinner in Melbourne and beat all other journalists. It was my personal best in high heels, I think.
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This means everything at the Lego Olympics will be
1:50
of the real Olympics.
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The Lego Bird’s Nest Stadium @ Beijing will be 1/50th of the real Bird’s Nest Stadium. (Not the scale shown here). Pictures by Johor Bahru.
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The Lego Beijing Water Cube Swim Centre will be 1/50th of the Real Water Cube.
EXERCISE 1:
Now mathspiggies over to you. The first thing to do is calculate the Lego Olympic measurements (table below).
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EXERCISE 2:
Then mark out a Lego Olympics 100m sprint to scale and/or
draw a Lego Olympic track (in chalk, perhaps) and/or
step out a Lego Olympic marathon track and/or
make a pole vault pole to scale for your little Lego Man.
Or bring in a Lego Man/Girl/Pirate and step out the Marathon Track (840m to scale).
This little guy has to run 840 m!!!!! Wow!
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Structure
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Real
Olympics
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Lego
Olympics
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100m Sprint
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100m
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2m |
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400m Sprint
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400m
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42 km marathon
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42,000m
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Olympic Pool
Length
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50m
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Olympic Pool
Width
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25m
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Olympic Rowing Course
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2,000m
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Equestrian Jump Height
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2m
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Approx Pole Vault Pole Length
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5.5m
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Javelin Length
Men
Women
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2.6m
2.2m
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Olympic Stadium
Straight Segment
Semi-circle Radius inner Lane
Lane Width
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84.39m
36.50m
2.5m
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Posted in direct proportion, Junior School, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Sport Maths | Tagged Carl Lewis, Carl Lewis Height, Cray Math, Crazy Lego Olympicds Figures, Fun junior math, Fun math in the classroom, Fun ratio exercises, Fun scale exercises, Get REady for the Lego Olympics, Joke Math, Lego olympic Stadium, Lego Olympic Water Cube, Lego Olympics 2012, Lego Olympics Marathon, Lego Olympics spint track, Lego Olympics to Scle | 2 Comments »
February 23, 2012
The Lego Marching band is rehearsing for the Opening ceremony.
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………….Bandito (Republic of Baddies)
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Mr Boopy (Bozonia)
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Gorilla Suit Guy (Halloweenotopia)
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………………..Barry the Butcher (Alien Steakistan)
……………..BioHaz (Toxorama)
…………………Dead-Eye Doc (AyeAwArghia)
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Dr Jabb (Bummerville)
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Hula Lula (Grinmania)
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1. Flag Fractions
EQUIPMENT: Mixed Lego Blocks
Here is the maths. It’s fractions. It’s simple.
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A. National Flag of Comotosia
They’re a bit sleepy in Comotosia so you better design a flag to wake them up, mathspigs.
The flag must measure …………. 6 blocks x 12 blocks.
One block is a 4 bumps blocks (See pic). An 8 bumps block equals 2 blocks.
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Here’s the catch, mathpiggies. 1/4 of the blocks in the flag must be RED.
How will you do this? (Hint below)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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.B. National Flag of Bordom
Once again the Bordonians need a lively flag.
The flag must measure 6 blocks by 12 blocks, but this time it must contain 1/4 red and 1/3 blue. How do you do this?
Hint: Mathspigs! You will have to count the number of red and blue blocks.
2. Design A National Flag to Lego Scale
First, name your Lego man, girl or alien and pick a name for their country, planet or crypt.
You will be drawing two flags.
All national flags are rectangles except Switzerland and Tibet, which have square flags but not at the Olympic Games.
Olympic Flags measure: 150 cm x 90 cm
or …………………………….. 60 inches x 35 inches.
These sizes are not equal so which flag is bigger the decimal flag or the Imperial Units flag?
The Imperial units flag is 152.9 cm x 88.9 cm. It turns out the area of the Decimal flag is 13,500 cm2 and the Imperial Flag 13,593 cm2 .
You will be designing a decimal flag.
Note the Flag ratio of length: width = 150 : 90
…………………………………………………… = 15 : 9 = 5: 3
First design a flag with 5: 3 ratio. One measuring 10cm x 6 cm would be ideal.
BUT
How big are the national flags at the Lego Olympics:
Real flags at the Olympics = 150 x 90 cm
Lego Flag measurements = 150/50 x 90/50 = 3 cm x 1.8 cm = 30mm x 18 mm
Here are my two Lego people with flags I prepared earlier:
The Enforcer from the Constellation of Obeymia and Mr Boopy from Bozonia.
Posted in %, Junior School, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Ratio, Sport Maths | Tagged Crazy Olympic Flags, Design an Oplympic Flag to Scale, exercise, Fraction Exercise for Students, Fun, Fun year 6 maths, Lego Fraction Exercise, Lego Olympic Flag Designs, Lego Olympics, Math %, Middle school, Olympic, Olympic Joke, Percentage exercise for students, Problem | 1 Comment »
February 23, 2012
The Lego Olympics must begin with a
triumphant Trumpet Fanfare.
Here is the US Army Herald Trumpets playing a rousing fanfare:
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Marching Maths
Three nations are marching one after the other:
Pajamaramas (PJ Boy flag bearer),
The Crytomanians (Mummy’s Boy flag bearer)
and the Berserkers (Olag the Viking flag bearer).
But there is a problem.
They march around the Olympic Track, which is a 400m circuit (inside track).
Lego Olympic Track Circuit = 400/50 = 8 m
But the Pajamaramas, the Cryptomanians and the Beseerkers all walk at different speed. They could just bump into one another and end up in a big heap. So how much time should the officials allow between each country so they don’t collide on the track.
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Speed S1
PJ Boy is a really slow walker
Real life Really Slow walk = 3.0 kph = 3000 m/hr
……………………………………………….= 3000/60 = 50 m/min
Lego really slow walk= 50/50 = 1 m/min
Speed PJ Boy = S1 = 1m/min
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Speed S 2
Mummy’s Boy is a slow walker
Real Life Slow walk = 4.5 kph = 4500 m/hr
…………………………………. = 4500/60 = 75 m/min
Lego slow walk = 75/50 = 1.5 m/min
Speed Mummy’s Boy = S 2 = 1.5 m/min
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Speed S3
Olag is a fast walker
Real life fast walk = 6 kph = 6000 m/hr
……………………………… = 6000/60 = 100 m/min
Lego really slow walk = 100/50 = 2 m/min
Speed Olag = S3 = 2m/min
Lego Track Circuit = 8m
Time on circuit (T) in mins:
T = d/S
T = 8.0 /S
The time each nation takes to finish marching around the track will be:
T1 = 8.0/S1 = 8.0/1 = 8 mins
T2 = 8.0/S2 = 8.0/1.5 = 5.3333 = 5 mins 20 secs
T3 = 8.0/S3 = 8.0/2.0 = 4 mins
If you started them all at once there’d be a real pile up.
March Time with 1 min gap between groups:
The Enforcer from the Constellation Obeymia will make sure each marching group leaves exactly on time. He will set the clock ticking at 0 mins then enforce a one minute gap between each group.
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Look at the times each nation finishes marching around the track now:
PJ Boy…………………………………………………………………………..
and the Pajamaramas ……………………………………………..8 mins,
Mummy’s Boy and the Crytomanians ………………. 6 mins 20 secs
and Olag and The Beserkers start 2 minutes after PJ Boy and Co and finish at …………………………………. 6 mins.
They will still collide on the track!!!!!
Here are the results for different gap times:
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Nation
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March Time
Gap time
0 min
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March Time
Gap Time
1 min
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March Time
Gap Time
2 min
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March Time
Gap Time
3 min
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PJ Boy + the Pajamaramas
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8
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8
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8
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8
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Mummy’s Boy and the Crytomanians
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5mins 20 secs
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6 mins 20 secs
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7mins 20 secs
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8 mins 20 secs
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Olag and The Beserkers
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4
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6
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8
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10
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The 3 minute gap works!!!
I think we need a round of applause:
Why not ALGEBRA?
If you had to do this calculation for the entire 205 nations at the 2012 Olympic Games, you can see that your brain might explode.
Da-DA! We can use algebra.
Here is a formulae:
T = d/S + ntg
where
T = time (mins)
from beginning of ceremony.
d= track circuit distance = 8 m
S = speed m/min
n = nation march order number = 0,1,2,3,etc
tg = time gap between nations (mins) = 1, 2, 3, 4 etc
TRY IT, mathspigs!!!!!
Posted in algebra, Lego Maths, Olympic Maths, Sport Maths, units length, units speed, Year 7 mathspig | Tagged Crazy Lego Men, Fun Maths, Funny Lego Characters, Lego Athletes, Lego boy, Lego Cyclist, Lego Maths, Lego Mummy, Lego Olympic Opening ceremony, Lego Olympics, Lego Runner, Lego Swimmer, Lego Triathlon, Lego Trumpeter, Lego Viking, Math Joke | 2 Comments »
February 23, 2012
This is the Lego Triathlon.
And, mathspiggies, your Lego Man/girl/alien has made it into the finals.
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EQUIPMENT: Your Lego Man, girl, alien, your brain, a calculator & one dice.
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In the Olympic Triathlon contestants:
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Swim 1.5 km = 1,500 m
Cycle 40 km = 40,000 m
Run 10 km = 10, 000 m
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In a Lego Olympic Triathlon little Lego men, girls, aliens have to:
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Swim 1,500/50 = 30m
Cycle 40,000/50 = 800m
Run 10,000/50 = 200m
But each contestant will be better at some section than another.
Your Lego man, girl, alien replaces one of the following contestants. Transfer their number and times to your column.
Now calculate the Total Times for each contestant.
THEN roll the dice.
3. Disqualified because your coach gave you an alien Smoosnot drink with banned drugs by mistake.
5. Disqualified because a Groppanator from the Urgastor Galaxy ran out of the crowd just before the finish line and hugged you with his 6 arms.
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Triathlete
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30 m Swim
Speed
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Time
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800m Cycle
Speed
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Time
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200m run
Speed
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Time
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Total
Time
mins
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Roll
3 or 5
Disqualified
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1
Mummy’s Boy from Crytomania
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40 m/hr
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400 m/hr
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250m/hr
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2
PJ Boy
from Pajamarama
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30 m/hr
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200 m/hr
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500 m/hr
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3
Olag
from
Beserk
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40 m/hr
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200 m/hr
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500 m/hr
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4
Dead-Eye Doc
from
AyeAwArghia
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60 m/hr
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400 m/hr
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450 m/hr
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5
Hula Lula from
Grinmania
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50 m/hr
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400 m/hr
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500 m/hr
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6
Mr Boopy from
Bozonia
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30 m/hr
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600 m/hr
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200 m/hr
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7
Gorilla Suit Guy
from
Halloweenotopia
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50 m/hr
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500 m/hr
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300 m/hr
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8
BioHaz from
Toxorama
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60 m/hr
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500 m/hr
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400 m/hr
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from
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+
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Who won?
You can work it out mathspigs.
Total Times are published @ the end of The Lego Olympics Closing Ceremony.
Posted in Happy Piglets, Junior School, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Middle School, Olympic Maths, Rates, Sport Maths, units length, units speed | Tagged Fun, Fun calculations for middle school math, Fun classroom maths exercises, Fun with Math, funny maths, I love robots, Interesting Maths things, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Lego Olympics to scale, Lego Traithalon, Little Lego Men Love Lego Maths, Math Joke, Olympic Maths, X Amazing robobirdX Best math classX Coo mathX Coolest robot in the worldX Festo flying robotX festo smart birdX Fun mathX I love MathX Robots can fl | 1 Comment »
February 23, 2012
The closing ceremony is chaos. All the athletes crowd together.
There is one last lot of calculations, mathspigs.
Think about this.
% Gold Medal Winners:
At the 2012 London Olympics there were 47 Gold medals awarded in athletics.
There will be 2,000 athletes competing for these medals. Now some athletes will win more than one Gold medal and some events eg. the relay race involve more than one athlete. Each member of the winning relay team wins a Gold Medal.
Approximately what % of athletes won’t win a Gold Medal at the London Olympics?
Ans: 97.65%
Probability of Winning a Gold Medal:
Ha-HA! Tricked ya! Such a calculation would be meaningless.
The core to all probability is, or should be, RANDOM SELECTION.
Lottery balls fall randomly into the tube. But the Olympic athletes represent a BIASED SAMPLE. Athletes are selected for the games. They must qualify for an event. They train. The chance of one athlete winning is quite different from that of another.
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Eight numbered 100m-sprint athletes is a Biased Sample.
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Eight numbered lottery balls in last nights draw make up a random sample.
This brings us to the end of the Lego Olympics.
We will finish with some Lego fireworks.
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Lego Olympics Triathlon total Times: 1. Mummy’s Boy: 3 hrs 33 mins, 2. PJ Boy 5 hrs 24 mins, 3. Olag 2 hrs 51 mins, 4. Dead-Eye Doc 2hrs 57 mins, 5. Hula Lula 3 hrs, 6. Mr Boopy 3 hrs 20 min, 7. Gorilla Suit Guy 2hrs 52 mins,8. BioHaz 2 hrs 36 mins.
Posted in %, Lego Maths, Lego Olympics, Olympic Maths, probability, Sport Maths, Year 7 mathspig | Tagged Cool Lego Maths, How many athletes in 2012 olympics, Lego fireworks, Lego Math, Lego Math for middle school, Lego math grade 6, Lego Math junior high, Lego Olympics, Lego Olympics Closing Ceremony, Lego Pole vaulter, percentage of athletes who will win a gold medal 2012, Probability of winning a gold medal | 1 Comment »
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