Sporting Collection
Squash
If the score is 8-8 do I have more chance of winning if the winner is the first to reach 9 points or the first to reach 10 points?
Angle of Shot
At what angle should you release the shot to break Olympic records?
Playing Squash
Playing squash involves lots of mathematics. This article explores the mathematics of a squash match and how a knowledge of probability could influence the choices you make.
10 Olympic Starters
10 intriguing starters related to the mechanics of sport.
FA Cup
In four years 2001 to 2004 Arsenal have been drawn against Chelsea in the FA cup and have beaten Chelsea every time. What was the probability of this? Lots of fractions in the calculations!
Little Little G
See how little g and your weight varies around the world. Did this variation help Bob Beamon to long-jumping succes in 1968?
High Jumping
How high can a high jumper jump? How can a high jumper jump higher without jumping higher? Read on...
Decathlon: the Art of Scoring Points
How do decisions about scoring affect who wins a combined event such as the decathlon?
What's the Point of Squash?
Under which circumstances would you choose to play to 10 points in a game of squash which is currently tied at 8-all?
Alternative Record Book
In which Olympic event does a human travel fastest? Decide which events to include in your Alternative Record Book.
Stadium Sightline
How would you design the tiering of seats in a stadium so that all spectators have a good view?
Nutrition and Cycling
Andy wants to cycle from Land's End to John o'Groats. Will he be able to eat enough to keep him going?
The Fastest Cyclist
Andy is desperate to reach John o'Groats first. Can you devise a winning race plan?
Track Design
Where should runners start the 200m race so that they have all run the same distance by the finish?
Speed-time Problems at the Olympics
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to race against Usain Bolt?
The Olympic Torch Tour
Imagine you had to plan the tour for the Olympic Torch. Is there an efficient way of choosing the shortest possible route?
Who's the Winner?
When two closely matched teams play each other, what is the most likely result?
Training Schedule
The heptathlon is an athletics competition consisting of 7 events. Can you make sense of the scoring system in order to advise a heptathlete on the best way to reach her target?
Olympic Triathlon
Is it the fastest swimmer, the fastest runner or the fastest cyclist who wins the Olympic Triathlon?
Secondary Sport Collection
This is our secondary collection of favourite mathematics and sport materials.
Olympic Logic
Can you use your powers of logic and deduction to work out the missing information in these sporty situations?
Tournament Scheduling
Scheduling games is a little more challenging than one might desire. Here are some tournament formats that sport schedulers use.
Who's the Best?
Which countries have the most naturally athletic populations?
Medal Muddle
Countries from across the world competed in a sports tournament. Can you devise an efficient strategy to work out the order in which they finished?
Olympic Records
Can you deduce which Olympic athletics events are represented by the graphs?
Olympic Measures
These Olympic quantities have been jumbled up! Can you put them back together again?
Performing Beyond Expectations - Using Sport to Motivate Students in Mathematics Lessons
In this article, Alan Parr shares his experiences of the motivating effect sport can have on the learning of mathematics.
Match the Matches
Decide which charts and graphs represent the number of goals two football teams scored in fifteen matches.
National Flags
This problem explores the shapes and symmetries in some national flags.
Olympic Starters
Look at some of the results from the Olympic Games in the past. How do you compare if you try some similar activities?
Sports Equipment
If these balls are put on a line with each ball touching the one in front and the one behind, which arrangement makes the shortest line of balls?
Now and Then
Look at the changes in results on some of the athletics track events at the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. Compare the results for 2012.
Olympic Turns
This task looks at the different turns involved in different Olympic sports as a way of exploring the mathematics of turns and angles.
Going for Gold
Looking at the 2012 Olympic Medal table, can you see how the data is organised? Could the results be presented differently to give another nation the top place?
Sport Collection
This is our collection of favourite mathematics and sport materials.
May the Best Person Win
How can people be divided into groups fairly for events in the Paralympics, for school sports days, or for subject sets?
Half Time
What could the half time scores have been in these Olympic hockey matches?
Olympic Cards
Design your own scoring system and play Trumps with these Olympic Sport cards.
Olympic Rings
This problem is intended to get children to look really hard at something they will see many times in the next few months.
Can You Do it Too?
Try some throwing activities and see whether you can throw something as far as the Olympic hammer or discus throwers.
Who Can Be the Winner?
Some children have been doing different tasks. Can you see who was the winner?
The Games' Medals
Can you see who the gold medal winner is? What about the silver medal winner and the bronze medal winner?
The Animals' Sports Day
One day five small animals in my garden were going to have a sports day. They decided to have a swimming race, a running race, a high jump and a long jump.
Opening Patterns
Look at some of the patterns in the Olympic Opening ceremonies and see what shapes you can spot.