Home > Examples > Tasks & Rubrics > Mathematics

Task

You are a baseball player on the Chicago White Sox and you just hit a single and are standing on first base. You have been frequently clocked at 3.2 seconds running the 90 feet from one base to another. Pitcher Robb Nen throws his fastball consistently at 98 m.p.h. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez has been clocked at 82 m.p.h. throwing the ball from home plate to second base. Ivan's normal release time, once he's received the ball from Nen, is 1.2 seconds. The distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate is 60'6".

If you take an 8 foot lead at first base and head for second base at precisely the same time that Nen releases the ball, will you be safe or out? Complete each of the following sections to help you make your decision. Show all work.

I. Explain the problem in a complete sentence or sentences. Also, describe the strategy you plan to use to find a solution.

II. Solve the problem stated above using diagrams, calculations, charts, equations, etc.- whatever you find useful to help you arrive at a reasonable solution.

III. Based on your work from part II, verbally explain in complete sentences if you will be out or safe with an 8 ft. lead off.

Rubric

Copyright 2008, Jon Mueller. Professor of Psychology, North Central College, Naperville, IL. Comments, questions or suggestions about this website should be sent to the author, Jon Mueller, at jfmueller@noctrl.edu.