NCAA March Madness Math

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March 19th marks the start of the 75th annual NCAA March Madness tournament, so college basketball fans of all ages will be glued to their TVs to see how their teams fare.  And, according to Bedtime Math founder Laura Overdeck, all the 2- and 3-point baskets, the brackets that multiply an diminsh, and the sky-high scores can give parents a perfect opportunity to engage young basketball fans in fun, recreational math.

Here are a few of Laura’s best tips for March Madness:

1. Numerical ranking systems – Before March Madness begins, print out or create your own tournament bracket to fill out with your kids.  Before your fill out your bracket, point out each team’s rank and explain how a numerical ranking system works.  Then, compare the teams’ rankings as you decide which team will win each of the tournament games.  For example, do you think a number 1 team or a number 13 team will win the game they play against each other?  What about a number 4 team playing against a number 5 team?

2. Count by multiples – Any basket made during a game is worth either 1, 2, or 3 points.  While watching a tournament game, practice counting by using pretzels, chips or popcorn to track the score.  Every time a basket is made, add a pretzel or chip for each point to that team’s pile.  Count to see how many baskets of each type the losing team needs in order to pull ahead.

3. Mascot math – Every basketball team has a goofy mascot running around, getting the crowd to cheer.  For a fun twist on basic math practice, count how many mascots there are during each round of tournament play.  Then, use division to figure out how many mascots will be left after the next round of games.  If 16 teams are left in the tournament, how many mascots will there be once the next eight games have been played?

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