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Secondary education

I need help from Maths type bods: The decathlon

9 replies

booklooker · 11/10/2016 16:34

Does anyone know how the scores are calculate for individual events in the decathlon?

I have a list of different results and the corresponding scores in a big table, but I am hoping to find an actual formula for each event that will give me a points score.

If such a formula does not exist in the public domain, does anyone know why not?

(I am trying to help a student complete their IB maths exploration)

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merlottime · 11/10/2016 16:54

Shouldn't the student be trying to find out themselves?

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Pipthedog · 11/10/2016 17:06

There is a specific formula for decathlons, but without seeing the table it would be impossible to say whether that is the one used.

Working out a formula from the table contents alone is possible but would take a fair bit of working out.

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booklooker · 11/10/2016 17:44

Thank you for the helpful comment merlottime

I shall bear it in mind when I am assessing google skills.

I am trying to help her demonstrate her mathematical skills.

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booklooker · 11/10/2016 17:47

Thanks pipthedog, an nrich page does give a hint at what the nature of the formula is, but given the technology available, it will be hard

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Pipthedog · 11/10/2016 18:14

Got it.

There is a fairly simple formula which works on what looks like an event weighting table. Again without seeing the homework whether this is the one used or not I can't say however running a few examples through would confirm it.

At least it's not Duckworth Lewis huh?!

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booklooker · 11/10/2016 18:24

At least it's not Duckworth Lewis huh?!

That was a real pain to get hold of, had to go through JICTAR, even then it looked like hieroglyphics to my students.

So.. don't keep me hanging on, where did you find the formula for the different events... '

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Pipthedog · 11/10/2016 18:38

JICTAR? It's best from the English Cricket Board!

//www.oocities.org/mdetting/sports/decathlon-points-formula.html

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booklooker · 12/10/2016 03:18

I meant JSTOR, not JICTAR. It's a database of academic articles.

It was the original article written by messrs Duckworth and Lewis in an Operational Research journal.

Tbh, it was a bit too academic for my comprehension.

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booklooker · 12/10/2016 03:23

Sorry Pip, for some reason I failed to see the link at the bottom of your post. Thank you so much, it looks perfect!

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