Check out this week's Lesson Collaboration Call + other upcoming events with Citizen Math teachers! Everyone is welcome.

Out of Left Field (Updated!)

Which MLB stadium is the hardest for home runs?

Login to add lessons to your favorites

Out of Left Field (Updated!)

Which MLB stadium is the hardest for home runs?

Login to add lessons to your favorites

Check it out! This lesson was just updated in September 2024, and we hope you love the new and improved version. If you've already prepped an earlier version, fear not, you can still find those here through Thursday December 5, 2024.

Log In or Sign Up to Access Lesson Materials
Out of Left Field - Student Handout.pdf
Log In or Sign Up to Access Lesson Materials
Out of Left Field - Teacher Guide.pdf
Log In or Sign Up to Access Lesson Materials

2023-2024 Versions

In the fall of 2024, Citizen Math released updated versions of every lesson in our library, plus a few new ones! We know you may have already prepped an earlier version or planned a repeat of last year, so we're continuing to make these earlier versions available through Thursday December 5, 2024.

You can find the new lessons through the regular search, and we hope you love them as much as we do. You can read more about these updates in Our Community.

Should Major League Baseball stadiums be standardized? Home runs are an exciting part of professional baseball. However, not all stadiums are created equally; some are harder to hit home runs in than others, which can have a big effect on pitchers and batters.

In this lesson, students use a quadratic function to model the trajectory of the average professional home run and debate whether Major League Baseball stadiums should all be designed the same.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • Major League Baseball stadiums are not standardized. The outfield walls have different heights and distances from home plate.
  • If baseball stadiums were standardized, there would be upsides and downsides.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Write and solve quadratic equations in a real-world context
  • Evaluate a quadratic function at given values
  • Sketch a quadratic function from an equation written in vertex form, and interpret the key features
This complex task is best as a culminating unit activity after students have developed formal knowledge and conceptual understanding.
Algebra 1
Quadratics & Solving
Algebra 1
Quadratics & Solving
Content Standards A.SSE.3 Choose and produce an equivalent form of an expression to reveal and explain properties of the quantity represented by the expression. (a) Factor a quadratic expression to reveal the zeros of the function it defines. (b) Complete the square in a quadratic expression to reveal the maximum or minimum value of the function it defines. (c) Use the properties of exponents to transform expressions for exponential functions. For example the expression 1.15<sup>t</sup> can be rewritten as (1.15<sup>1/12</sup>)<sup>12t</sup> &approx; 1.012<sup>12t</sup> to reveal the approximate equivalent monthly interest rate if the annual rate is 15%. A.CED.1 Create equations and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve problems. Include equations arising from linear and quadratic functions, and simple rational and exponential functions. A.REI.1 Explain each step in solving a simple equation as following from the equality of numbers asserted at the previous step, starting from the assumption that the original equation has a solution. Construct a viable argument to justify a solution method. A.REI.4 Solve quadratic equations in one variable. (a) Use the method of completing the square to transform any quadratic equation in x into an equation of the form (x &mdash; p)<sup>2</sup> = q that has the same solutions. Derive the quadratic formula from this form. (b) Solve quadratic equations by inspection (e.g., for x<sup>2</sup> = 49), taking square roots, completing the square, the quadratic formula and factoring, as appropriate to the initial form of the equation. Recognize when the quadratic formula gives complex solutions and write them as a ± bi for real numbers a and b. F.IF.7 Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more complicated cases. (a) Graph linear and quadratic functions and show intercepts, maxima, and minima. (b) Graph square root, cube root, and piecewise-defined functions, including step functions and absolute value functions. (c) Graph polynomial functions, identifying zeros when suitable factorizations are available, and showing end behavior. (d) (+) Graph rational functions, identifying zeros and asymptotes when suitable factorizations are available, and showing end behavior. (e) Graph exponential and logarithmic functions, showing intercepts and end behavior, and trigonometric functions, showing period, midline, and amplitude.
Mathematical Practices MP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. MP.4 Model with mathematics. MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. MP.8 Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Other Algebra 1 Lessons

Wiibates (Updated!)

How much should Nintendo have charged for the Wii U console?

Algebra 1
Parabolas & Quadratics
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Good Cop, Bad Cop (Updated!)

How should police departments address excessive use of force?

Algebra 1
One-Variable Statistics
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Billions & Billions (Updated!)

What are the consequences of human population growth?

Algebra 1
Exponential Functions (Beg.)
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Wage War (Updated!)

What are the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage?

Algebra 1
Solving Linear Systems
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Prescripted (Updated!)

How much should medications cost?

Algebra 1
Parabolas & Quadratics
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.

Wiibates (Updated!)

How much should Nintendo have charged for the Wii U console?

Algebra 1
Parabolas & Quadratics
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Good Cop, Bad Cop (Updated!)

How should police departments address excessive use of force?

Algebra 1
One-Variable Statistics
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Billions & Billions (Updated!)

What are the consequences of human population growth?

Algebra 1
Exponential Functions (Beg.)
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Wage War (Updated!)

What are the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage?

Algebra 1
Solving Linear Systems
Great anytime, including at the beginning of a unit before students have any formal introduction to the topic.

Prescripted (Updated!)

How much should medications cost?

Algebra 1
Parabolas & Quadratics
Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.