Number Game

In baseball, the batting average is defined as the ratio of hits to at bats.

A batting average is a measure of a player’s ability to hit. A batting average over .300 is considered to be good, and an average over .400 a nearly unachievable goal. (The last player to hit that mark, with enough at bats to qualify for the batting championship, was Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, who hit .406 in 1941.)

Jackie Robinson’s career batting average of .311 is still one of the top 100 of all time.

The baseball statistics in the newspaper provide a fun way to practice math skills. Use the following to get yourself started.

How do you say a batting average?

• Always say as a three-digit whole number

• Say the first digit as a single whole number

• Combine the second and third digits to form a two-digit number For example: .274 = two seventy-four .309 = three oh-nine .075 = oh seventy-five

Hoe do you express the following as a batting average?

• Batting averages are always three digits

• If you have a two digit number place a zero on the end: .25 becomes .250

• If you have only one digit, place two zeros on the end: .3 becomes .300

• If you have more than three digits look at the fourth digit to determine if you should round the third digit up or keep it the same: .30119 becomes .301 .2348 becomes .235

How do you calculate a batting average?

• Batting Average (BA) = Hits (H) divided by At Bats (AB) or BA = H/AB

• If you have a fraction: 1/5 that’s the same as saying 1 for 5 or 1 hit for 5 at bats

• To determine the batting average 1/5 divide the numerator by the denominator to create a decimal. Then say the answer as .200

• 3 for 8 or 3/8 = .375

• 1 for 4 or 1/4 = .250

How do you calculate a player's batting average over two games?

• Add the hits from both games together and then add at bats from both games together, next divide the sum of the hits by the sum of the at bats.

• 1 for 4; 3 for 5, first add up the hits 1 + 3 = 4, next add up the at bats 4 + 5 = 9, then divide the sum of the hits 4 by the sum of the at bats 9 or four for nine or 4/9 = .444

• 0 for 2; 3 for 7 = 3 for 9 or 3/9 = .333

• 2 for 3; 1 for 4 = 3 for 7 or 3/7 = .429