Mathew Christensen

Introduction:
This report aims to model the paths of four basketball shots, taken from different positions, into a hoop.
A total of five parabolic paths will be used to create the paths of the basketballs. However, there will only
be four shots made, as two of the parabolas will be used for a backboard shot.

Observations:
 Air resistance will be ignored, as per the task sheet.
 Three metres will be used as the height of the basketball hoop, as per the height suggested by
dimensions.com (2021). The measurement will be from the base of the hoop to the top of the
backboard (this is to simplify how the diagram is shown in Desmos).
 A height of roughly 1.5 metres will be used to represent a person, as inferred from data shared
by worlddata.info (n.d.).
 As per the task sheet, 3 parabolas will be solved algebraically, the fourth will be solved using
technology.

Plan:
A diagram will be drawn to represent the four shots to be made. This will be scanned and uploaded to
Desmos. After determining suitable equations for the parabolas, it will be discussed as to how the
equations were created (as in how the numbers used in each equation were found). Finally, the
reasonableness of these equations will be challenged in order to produce an accurate and high-quality
conclusion.

Assumptions:
 The same basketball will be used each time (with the same pressure) or a basketball that is
exactly the same as the basketball used before it. A basketball not under the same conditions
could prevent the shot from making it into the hoop.
 The ground/floor the player shoots from remains level for at least as far back as the player
shoots. An unlevel surface will make the height difference between the hoop and the ground
larger.
 The player shoots the basketball from the same height every shot. Similar to the above
assumption, if this does not occur, the difference in height will be altered.
 The impact of the ball hitting the hoop does not impact the shape or height of the hoop. If the
impact were to affect the hoop, this could cause other shots to miss the hoop, or the vertical
distance may be altered.
 Any shot that hits the backboard is guaranteed to also go through the hoop. This is to simplify
the shot. A more complex shot would require knowing how gravity affects the ball and at what
angle the ball would come off the backboard. The equations would then be too in-depth and
would cover more than this report needs to.

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Figure 1: Drawing of the shots to be made with the basketball.

Results:
Shot 1:
Where (h, k) is the turning point of the parabola.
y=a ( x −h )2 +k
2
y=a ( x +2.7 ) +3.03
 
 
Substitute point (-6.181, 0) (x-intercept) to find a. This point will be used as the parabola should go
through this point.
0=a (−6.181+2.7 )2 +3.03
2
0=a (−3.481 ) +3.03
−3.03=a (−3.481 )2
√ −3.03=a (−3.481 )
√ 3.03=−a ( 3.481 )
√3.03 =a
3.481
−303
a=
833
 
Substitute a into S1
−303
y= ( x +2.7 )2+3.03
833

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Mathew Christensen

Figure 2: Image of Desmos graph with the calculated parabola.

As can be seen, the parabola passes through both points (the S1 point and the turning point) but
misses the basketball hoop. The parabola needs to first be widened in order to make the shot closer
to entering the hoop. Because the a value controls the dilation of the parabola, this can be changed to
−1
achieve a larger parabola. To make it go into the hoop, the a value was altered to , as this value is
4
−303
smaller than , but not 0 or less.
833

Figure 3: Image of Desmos graph with the altered a value.

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Mathew Christensen

Although changing the a value has widened the parabola, the turning point is too far to the left for
the shot to make it into the hoop. As the h value alters the x coordinate of the turning point, the
number can be changed to
−2.95<h and this will have the effect of shifting the turning point to the right by 0.25 units. Using
this knowledge, the h value was changed to -2.7.
 

Figure 4: Image of Desmos graph with the altered h value.

As can be seen, changing the h value has had the desired effect and the shot now makes it from the
S1 point and into the basketball hoop.

Shot 2:
Shot two was developed using a regression on Desmos. The following equation was used for the
regression:

y 1 a x 12 +b x 1+ c
Additionally, the following points were used for the regression:

x1 y1
-4.92 0
-4.5 0.45
-4 0.86
-3.6 1.12
-3.3 1.3
-2.92 1.5
-2.6 1.65
-2.2 1.79
-1.6 1.89
-1 1.84

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0.2 1.58

This regression, as the shot rebounds off the basketball hoop, only provides half of the shot, so a second
regression is required to create the rebound. The equation below was used for this path.

y 2 a x 22 +b x 2 +c
Additionally, the following points were used for the second regression:

x2 y2
0.2 1.57
0.1 1.55
0 1.5

Shot 3:
The form that will be used for Shot 3 will be intercept form, where p is the x-intercept to the left and q is
the x-intercept to the right.

y=a ( x −p )( x−q )

y=a ( x−(−3.2) ) ( x−0.8 )

y=( x +3.2)( x−0.8)

Substitute turning point (-1.4, 2.6) and solve for a

2.6=a (−1.4+3.2 )(−1.4−0.8 )

Substitute a into the equation:

y=0.66( x +3.2)( x−0.8)

Shot 4:
The final shot, number four, will be in standard form ( y=a x2 +bx +c ).

The following points will be used to find the equation. All points were used because they lie on the path
of the parabola and are relatively simple numbers (few decimals).

1. (-1, 0.6)
2. (-0.5, 2)
3. (-0.1, 1.5)

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Using these three points, three equations were created:

1. 0.6=−12 a−1 b+ c
2. 2=−0.52 a−0.5 b+ c
3. 1.5=−0.12 a−0.1 b+ c

The process of simultaneous equations will be used to find the variables. The first part will involve
elimination, and the second part will involve substitution.

Multiply Equation 2 by -2

−4=0.5 a+1 b+c

Combine Equation 2 with Equation 1

0.6−4=a+0.5 a−1b+ 1b+ c+ c

Solve for c

−3.4−2 c=1.5 a
−2 c=1.5 a+3.4
c=−0.75 a−1.7
 

Substitute c into Equation 3

1.5=−0.12 a−0.1 b−0.75 a−1.7

Solve for b

3.2=−0.7 a−0.1b
0.1 b+3.2=−0.7 a
0.1 b=−3.2−0.7 a
b=−32−7 a
 

Substitute b and c into Equation 1

0.6=−12 a−1 (−32−7 a )−0.75 a−1.7

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0.6=a+32+7 a−0.75 a−1.7

Solve for a

7.25 a=−29.7
a=−4.1
 

Substitute a into b and c

b=−32−7 (−4.1 )
b=−32+28.7
b=−3.3
 

c=−0.75 (−4.1 )−1.7

Substitute all values into Standard Form Equation

y=−4.1 x2 −3.3 x +1.38

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End Result:

Figure 5: Screenshot of Desmos, showing the final parabolas. It can be seen that each follow thee drawn
paths relatively closely.

Discussion/Evaluation
As it can be seen from the end result, the parabolas drawn using the equations created in the results
have all followed the parabolas drawn on the paper relatively closely. There are two main reasons why
the parabolas do not match up exactly. The first is due to human error. The parabolas that were drawn
on paper were far from the correct shape and most of the were lopsided or had a turning point that was
not in the same position as the actual turning point. These factors made it impossible for the parabolas
on Desmos to follow the drawn paths exactly. The second reason that they do not match is likely the fact
that decimals were rounded to two decimal places at all points in the equations. What is meant by this is
that the final answer was not the only decimal rounded, but also the answer to any calculations (in
particular, divisions) that were a part of the equations that gave the final answer. This means that the
final number was very rough and approximate and not very accurate. With parabolas, a 100th of a decimal
has a huge impact on the shape and/or position of the parabola. The technology-based parabola
(regression) was a large strength, as Desmos was able to create an equation that suited the points given
in the table. There was however a limitation which was that it was very difficult to find an explanation on
how some things (standard form in particular) are done. This resulted in needing to ‘play around’ with
different ways of completing the equation, until a pattern was found that successfully completed it. This
could be seen as a good thing though, as it has shown what does and does not work.

Conclusion
This report has modelled the paths of four basketball shots (taken from different positions), using a total
of five parabolic paths. Three of these parabolas were created mathematically, using turning point form,
intercept form and standard form. The other two were created using technology. To do this, regressions
were created used on Desmos. Finally, the reasonableness, strengths, and limitations of the parabolas
and their equations were evaluated. It can be concluded that under the conditions outlined in the
Observations and Assumptions, it is reasonable to model the path of a basketball using parabolas.

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References
Basketball Hoop & Backboard Dimensions & Drawings | Dimensions.com  (2021). Available at:
https://www.dimensions.com/element/basketball-hoop (Accessed: 1 September 2021).

Average height of men and women worldwide  (2021). Available at:

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