Do you think baseball teaches our youngsters bad math?

Question

Do you think baseball teaches our youngsters bad math? Each third of an inning is considered 0.1 innings until the last third is pitched (e.g., if a pitcher pitches 2 2/3 innings, on the stats sheet, he/she pitches 2.2 innings).

Obviously with some of the statistics, it helps with mathematical abilities, but this is a significant erroneous statistic. Also, most baseball stat experts use pure rote memorization for these numbers.

I don't mean that the goal of baseball is to teach math. In other words, I meant "Does learning/watching baseball statistics have any influence on mathematical abilities?"

If trinary math is obsolete, then we should change the stats. I know what the stats mean, but I'm posing this question because I believe the stats may negatively influence youngsters who do not know that this is trinary math and get it confused with the decimal system.

Answer 1

Probably, and that's always kinda bugged me. I actually remember that on baseball cards they used to always print the fractions, and then about 20 years ago they started using the .1 and .2.

I think it's the same way with some words too. For example, a lot of people spell through "thru", maybe because of all the "Drive thru" signs. Also, many people seem to spell light "lite", perhaps because of the beer.

Answer 2

There is a pragmatic (if largely obsolete) reason why partial innings are so denoted, but since you don't really care about why it is so, I won't detail it.

Consider instead that this particular little corner of baseball statistics teachs base-3 (trinary) math instead, and that's something that rarely comes up elsewhere in life. Learning a new base, a different base, is a good thing, not for any particularly practical purposes, but for grasping the general concept -- despite most of us having ten fingers, we're not bound to using that (extremely convenient) number as the universal base. Others exist and can be comprehended.

And, in the case of innings pitched, actually used.

Answer 3

You're not understanding what .1 and .2 are meant to signify in baseball terms, so you're jumping to a conclusion that it's the same as the decimals .1 and .2.

It isn't used in mathematical calculations, it's used in stat keeping.

Would you rather it say a pitcher pitched 5.333333333333333 or 5.6666666666666666 instead of 5.1 or 5.2?

It's common sense. If you don't get that, incorrect math is the least of your problems.
.

Answer 4

I think it can teach math. look at a stat sheet. You have addition on the daily level leading to the yr end stats, then you have addition to get career numbers. You have percentages that you have to do division to do, BA, Slugging, OBP. You even have a form of algrebra,,,,ever try to figure ERA's? You have straight lines, angles, curves, you have a diamond with bases 90 feet apart thats a constant. there is a lot of math in baseball...also something that isnt usually associated with math.. alot of fun

Answer 5

Text messaging and video games, along with sex, drugs and rap/hip-hop music are bigger concerns than pitching statistics.

I rather my kid figure out ERA and WHIP incorrectly than overdosing due to the metric system. At least I can work on him with the math problem, because he'll still be alive!

Answer 6

Kids today don't even know what a fraction is. Thank you No Child Left Behind.

Answer 7

I think it teaches the fun of the game.

Answer 8

I so agree!

You have people like Manny Ramirez who can't even count!

He can't even get the right pant size!

Answer 9

huh? 'you mean
2+2 ain't 5.
go SOX!