Mean Averaging

Students were asked to average (mean) the Batting Averages of Top Hitters 1992 World Champion Toronto Blue Jays.

Roberto Alomar .310
Joe Carter .264
Candy Maldonado .272
John Olerud .284
Dave Winfield .290

Students first modelled each of the batting averages

They then use one of two strategies to find the mean average: (1) put all the base ten block models together and then distribute them evenly into five groups; or (2) share from the groups the others until they were all the same.

wpeA0.jpg (36025 bytes)  wpeA4.jpg (22967 bytes)  wpeA6.jpg (18281 bytes)  wpeA8.jpg (21662 bytes)  wpeAA.jpg (26413 bytes)  wpeAC.jpg (20011 bytes)

This proved a very worthwhile activity in the understanding of 'mean average'.

Some of the problems arose when groups sorted into four and not five sets, and when they cashed in incorrectly.

Answer:   .284