How are the techniques used in basketball mathematical??

Answer 1

Almost everything in basketball could be related to math, for example:
1) the basketball is a sphere which can be viewed in different ways:
a) Volume = 4/3 pi r^3
b) Surface Area = 4 pi r^2

2) The basketball court is a rectangle
a) Area = length (width)
b) Perimeter = 2(length) + 2(width)

3) Path of the basketball is a parabola with an angle of incidence if the backboard is used.

4) Dribbling can be viewed as a periodic trigonometric function.

5) Spin rates and force imparted on the ball can be related using physics equations such as Force = mass (velocity)

6) Eye-hand coordination is directly related to depth perception. Our minds automatically calculate the angles each our eyes view the ball to construct an accurate position and then we do a projected trajectory to place our hands in order to complete the action (shooting, passing, dribbling, etc.).

We can go on and on...

Answer 2

The arc of a basketball when thrown is a parabola if we ignore wind resistance.
For optimal DISTANCE, the player wants to launch the ball at a 45 degree angle. You can figure this out by differentiating the formula for the parabola.
So you are using polynomials to define the path, and differentiation to optimize!

Answer 3

Mathematics is a language that you can apply to any part of the universe to understand it and make descriptive and predictive models.

There is not any thing in basketball that mathematics can not be applied to in order to increase understanding an performance.

Shoes? Think of the insane level of engineering and design that goes into them. Clothes? Same thing.

Social dynamics? You can use long-run game data (also data from practice games) to determine social compatibilities among the players and optimize your line-ups. You can use it to break down the social dynamics of competing teams, and determine weak points in individual players. Knowing those points you can determine strategies to wage and agressive and successful mind-game. Remember that 80% of the game is mental.

Kinetics and kinesiology? You can do analysis of any action of interest that the players perform, and compare it to optimal. You can help with any part of their mechanics from shots to anything. You can use stochastic simulations to build rebound strategies, and even place your team members at the right place and time not by accident or art, but by science.

You can use statistics analysis to accurately determine the true market worth of a player both when negotiating salary with the player or the team. If one party knows, clearly understands why, and can demonstrate worth, its very powerful in negotiations. The same thing is useful for determining insurance policies.

There is no part of any part of life that cant be understood. Some methods of analysis are not immediately applicable, but if the data is gathered it can be processed later. Math just means applying your mind very very well to something, and trying to understand and improve it. I think that applies anywhere.

Answer 4

One thing mathematical about basketball is shooting the ball into the hoop. The path of the ball is precisely a parabola.

Answer 5

Uhh...you don't need to think about mathematics when playing basketball. I probably interpereted the question wrong. But I will just keep typing to make my answer longer so people will think it's good at first glance and vote the thumbs up. Then I am going to click "preview," and then "submit."