Buzz
Have you ever looked at a sports page and found your team in second or first place, only to wonder how their position is decided? This article will explain how analysts and sports newspapers calculate team rankings using the games back figure.
Steps
Complete the necessary games for all teams involved. Track the progress carefully.
Find the Win-Loss record standings. Whether it’s available online or in your daily paper, ensure it includes all teams you need the data for.
Place a sheet of paper on a flat surface where you can easily calculate this statistic.
Identify the division leader by locating the team with the highest number of wins and the fewest losses.
Check the number of wins each team has achieved.
Determine the number of losses each team has incurred.
Calculate the difference between the total wins of the two teams.
Calculate the difference in total losses between the two teams involved.
Add together the two difference totals.
Divide these totals by 2 to get an average. The result will represent the games back for the team with the lower number of wins and (likely) the higher number of losses.
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In sports where ties can occur and overtime hasn’t determined a clear winner, count these games as half a win AND half a loss.
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Keep in mind: when one team wins, the other automatically loses.
Materials You’ll Need
- At least 2 sports teams
- A pencil or pen
- A sheet of paper
- Historical score data for each team involved
