Athletes and Mathematicians: The Perfect Pair

Have you ever paused to consider how athletes continue to break records? How do they keep getting better and faster? The answer involves math! Many professional athletic teams now hire mathematicians to help them perform at their optimum ability.

For instance, 100 years ago, most champion swimmers wore completely different swimwear. Swimswam says, "Many leisure swimmers stuck to wool swimwear, which could weigh up to 9 pounds when wet. Competitor swimmers opted for all silk full-body suits." Somewhere, a clever mind was thinking, "there has to be a better option." And there was! Swimmers' times were cut dramatically when they tried streamlined speedos instead of soggy wool board shorts. 

A popular blog on Superprof.com tells a lot about how Mathematics has been changing sports. Take the 2016 Rio Olympics, for example. Did you know that both New Zealand and Australia had mathematicians on their athletic teams? Those Mathematicians were in charge of:

1. Collecting data
2. Taking all conditions into account to produce valuable information
3. Creating performance statistics

The mathematicians on the athletic teams aim for precision in their findings, so it's no wonder that they use formats like statistics, algebra, decimals, fractions, geometry, relativity, and more. 

The National Center for Scientific Research has even created a data model for runners to help them achieve their best results. It measures:

1. Distance of Race

2. Lung Capacity of Athlete

3. Energy Intake

4. Maximum propulsion force

5. Friction between runner and the atmosphere

We know math has changed the game for professional athletes. Mathnasium of Stillwater wants to change your child's experience with math, too! Come meet our Director, Alex Mondragon, at 5871 Neal Ave N, Oak Park Height, MN 55082. Our specially-trained math tutors are ready to work alongside your student and generate amazing results! Mathematics as a field is growing as the world realizes the diverse applications of math. Jump on board with us at Mathnasium and let's see where math takes your child :) Sign up today for a Free Trial Session!