Math 103 - Classroom Activity #4

Math 103 - CooleyStatistics for Teachers OCC

Classroom Activity #4 – Using NBA Statistics for Box and Whisker Plots

In this lesson, students use information from NBA statistics to make and compare box and whisker plots. The data provided in the lesson comes from the NBA, but you could apply the lesson to data any other sports teams or leagues (i.e. MLB, NFL, NHL) for which player statistics are available.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Collect data on the height of the Los Angeles Lakers' players.
Create box and whisker plots.
Compare and analyze different box and whisker plots.

Materials

Internet access for current Los Angeles Lakers roster or any prior year roster.
NBA Team Players Activity Sheet

Instructional Plan

Students will make 3 box and whisker plots for sets of data about basketball players. They will make 1 box and whisker plot for the players’ weights, and 2 box and whisker plots for height. One will include the tallest player, and one will not. The effects of changing one piece of the data will be addressed.

Students can work in groups or pairs throughout this activity, but make sure that they all record their own information on their own activity sheet.

Internet Option: Tell students that they can look up the roster of the Los Angeles Lakers at the official page, students record the names, weight, and height of the players who have numbers.

Non-Internet Option: Give students a copy of the Los Angeles Lakers roster. Have them record the data for the players who have a number.

For each of the numbered players on the Los Angeles Lakers, write down their name and weight on the activity sheet. Find the minimum, maximum, lower quartile, upper quartile and median for the numbers.

Next, students should gather data on the height of the numbered players. The heights are given in feet and inches and need to be converted to inches. The conversion formula is the number of feet times 12 plus the number of inches. Check that students know how to do this by asking them to convert 6’8”, 5’6”, and 7’3” into inches. Write an example on the board for students to use as a reference. This will help ensure that they focus on the constructing and analyzing of a box and whisker plot rather than on converting the player’s height.

Ask students to record the height of each player in inches. Ask students to check their answers with a partner, and to check with you when they think they are finished. Monitor that students are recording the heights properly. Consider keeping a list of converted heights handy to give it to or read to any student who is struggling.

Extensions

1.Students could use another team’s roster and eliminate the tallest or shortest player as suggested in the Assessment Options section.

2.Ask students to use the Lakers data again to make a new plot, but this time eliminate player(s) with the median height. What differences do they observe between the plots?

3.If Internet access is available, students could research to determine the shortest player in the NBA, and then find that player’s roster.

NCTM Standards and Expectations

Data Analysis & Probability 6-8

Formulate questions, design studies, and collect data about a characteristic shared by two populations or different characteristics within one population.
Select, create, and use appropriate graphical representations of data, including histograms, box plots, and scatterplots.
Discuss and understand the correspondence between data sets and their graphical representations, especially histograms, stem-and-leaf plots, box plots, and scatterplots.

Measurement 6-8

1.Understand relationships among units and convert from one unit to another within the same system.

References

This lesson was obtained from the NCTM Illuminations website. (

This lesson has been modified by TopCatMath.com. Originally created by Benjamin Sinwell.

Using NBA Statistics for Box and Whisker Plots Activity Sheet

NAME ______

Look at the roster for the Los Angeles Lakers. Record the weight (in pounds) and the height (in

inches) of the players on the roster who have numbers.

PLAYER NAME / WEIGHT / HEIGHT
(IN INCHES)

Find the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum for the weights of the

players you listed in Problem #1. Construct a box and whisker plot.

Minimum: ______

Lower Quartile: ______

Median: ______

Upper Quartile: ______

Maximum: ______

Find the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum for the heights of the

players you listed in Problem #1. Construct a box and whisker plot.

Minimum: ______

Lower Quartile: ______

Median: ______

Upper Quartile: ______

Maximum: ______

Find the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum for the heights of all

the players you listed in Problem #1 except for Andrew Bynum. Construct a box and whisker plot.

Minimum: ______

Lower Quartile: ______

Median: ______

Upper Quartile: ______

Maximum: ______

Compare the box and whisker plots from Questions 3 and 4. How has the plot changed?

Did the minimum or the maximum change? Why or why not? Be sure to relate your reasons to

the data you used to construct your plot.

Did the median change? Why or why not? Be sure to relate your reasons to the data you used to

construct your plot.

Did the upper or lower quartile change? Why or why not? Be sure to relate your reasons to the

data you used to construct your plot.