Batball Homerun Averages

Batball is a popular variation of baseball at Stella Maris. With the close left field fence, homeruns are celebrated frequently. In this assignment, you will look at the ratio of homeruns to times at bat for various players using the spreadsheet program Microsoft Excel. You make up the players, the at bats and the homeruns. Here is a sample:

Start by doing the headings: Player, Homeruns, At Bats, Ration HR/AB. Then in column A list ten players names. I just used letters, but you can use names. They can be made up names, names of classmates, or other names. Just make sure you aren’t doing anything that would make fun of someone. You are also making up the number of homeruns and at bats. The number of homeruns of course can’t be more than the number of at bats.

Now comes the high tech part – the thing that makes a spreadsheet a “killer application.” You are going to divide the numbers in column B by the numbers in column C with the answers showing up in column D. All of this will take only a matter of seconds. To do this, highlight column D which should be blank. Now, click on the calculator in the formula toolbar. (If you don’t have the formula toolbar, click view – toolbars – formula bar to get the formula bar.) Now highlight the numbers in column B. Press the division sign on the calculator. Highlight the numbers in column C. On the calculator press “okay.” The answers now almost magically appear in column D. Pretty cool.

To better see who has the best average you will now prepare a chart using your data. My chart looks like this:

Bat Ball Homerun Averages

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

Average 0.3

0.2

0.1

0 a b c d e f g h I j Ratio HR/AB 0.375 0.42 0.563 0.138 0.75 0.494 0.1 0.259 0.557 0.223 Player

To make a chart like this first highlight the names in column A. Then hold down your open apple key and highlight the numbers in column D. Now press the icon for the chart wizard that looks like this. Follow the steps in the chart wizard. I will help you along the way.

Finally, you will copy your chart and paste it into a Word document with your name. You will print the Word document and hand it in to me.