The past two years, we devoted the march blog posts to celebrating March Mathness, the math behind the sport of basketball.
Many of you sent in your own math problems for posting. These included scores, records of teams, distance teams have to travel, the basketball court itself, even the numbers on the player’s jerseys. Math plays into this annual event in more ways than you might think.
So check this blog regularly for more fun math problems. Send your ideas for March Mathness math problems to marchmath@ascendmath.com
Meanwhile, here is a favorite updated from last year:
A study released by Sports Illustrated magazine last year reveals that colleges with “bird” mascots have done better than those with animals, fantasy figures, or humans for mascots. Here is how it shapes up
| Mascot | Winning Percentage |
| Birds | 58% |
| Fantasy figures/inanimate objects/weather | 52% |
| Canines and felines | 47.9% |
| Other Beasts | 46.5% |
| People | 41.1% |
According to this study alone which of the following first round teams should win? What is the difference in the winning percentages for their mascot types?
Kansas Jayhawks vs Austin Peay Governors
Duke Blue Devils vs UNCW Seahawks
Seton Hall Pirates vs Gonzaga Bulldogs
Miami Hurricanes vs Buffalo Bulls