************************************************************** Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround ************************************************************** From: wang@xxxxxxx To: Sent: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 11:28:27 -0400 Subject: [WWWEDU] Mathematics and Baseball Hello, For those who may encounter skeptics who question the relevance of mathematics, I thought you might wish to refer them to the following URL: http://riot.ieor.berkeley.edu/~baseball [From Science (vol. 300): 4 April 2003] Yeeeeeeeeeer Out! With baseball season less than a week old, it's a little early to give up on the Boston Red Sox. But if you want to know when your favorite team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention ? or when it's clinched a postseason spot ? keep tabs on the Baseball Playoff Races Web site from the Remote Interactive Optimization Testbed (RIOT) project at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 1996, the RIOT group has used algorithms from operations research to determine when teams have no chance of catching up (or being caught). The calculation takes into account more than won-loss records. RIOT applies techniques from optimization theory to find the best and worst scenarios for each team, given the combinations possible from the remaining schedule. In 1996, for example, the San Francisco Giants (59-81) trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers (78-63) by 19 games with 22 let to play. They seemed to have a slim chance, but in fact they were already eliminated. Los Angeles was scheduled to play seven more games against the San Diego Padres (78-65). One of the teams would win at least four of those games and finish with a minimum of 82 wins, one more than the Giants could conceivably muster. Doing such calculations across an entire league could make for a snarly supercomputer problem; the algorithm uses linear programming to cut through the complications. Patsy ************************************** Patsy Wang-Iverson, Ph.D. Research for Better Schools 112 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19102-1510 vox: 215.568.6150 x264 fax: 215.568.7260 net: wang@xxxxxxx web: http://www.rbs.org ****************************************************************** LITERACY FROM HOME LANGUAGE TO THE STANDARD Why don't people vote? 50% of all Americans over 65 years old are functionally illiterate. 60% of the Urban School Children do not graduate High School of the 40% that do they are only reading at 4th grade level. Find out more about literacy and approaches to improving it. Learn how to successfully bridge from the Dialect Speakers' home language to the Standard. http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/default.asp ****************************************************************** WWWEDU, The Web and Education Mailing List To access the archive, please visit the list homepage: http://edwebproject.org/wwwedu.html <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<> EDUCATIONAL CYBERPLAYGROUND http://www.edu-cyberpg.com <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<> ADVERTISE REACH THE EDUCATION MARKET GET FREE EDUCATION VENDOR DIRECTORY LISTING http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Directory/default.asp Net Happenings,K12 Newsletters, Network Newsletters, New-list http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Community/index.html HOT LIST OF SCHOOLS ONLINE http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Schools/default.asp SERVICES http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/PS/Home_Products.html <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>