I need help from Maths type bods: The decathlon

[booklooker]

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)

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

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.

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.

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

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?!

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... '

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

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

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.

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