The Math plays a vital role in professional Ice hockey. A lecturer
in basic and bilingual tutoring named Christine Mayfield states that,
the integral part of professional Ice hockey is the Math. The talent
of passing the hockey puck entails the use of Math, specially the
angle usage and geometry. The usage of Math is unlimited in many areas
of sports. Therefore, Math is just not limited to classroom, but also
is applicable in every person's day today life.
The hockey puck is three-inch long rubber disc that replaces a normal
ball and usually used in Ice hockey. With the exact calculation of
the length of this puck and a thorough study of angles and geometry,
help the players in passing the puck with sticks successfully. To
relate Math and Ice hockey, the students have to make a progressive
study on Math with activities focusing on Ice hockey. The important
learning activities may include the graphing, the interpreting, data
charting, assigning calculations, the time, the money and the decision
building.
Application of Math:
To prove the importance of Math in Ice hockey, study and understand
the below given examples.
1. While playing hockey, the attacks may occur at any time. The team
members need to calculate the speed of the attacker, the angle of
attack, and own speed. After evaluating these facts, evaluate an angle
through which a member may stop the attacker. Therefore, evidently
angle usage is a key element in professional Ice hockey.
2. The evaluation of fraction is also associated with playing Ice
hockey. Math helps to find the largest fraction, and according to
the calculation, 4/3 is a larger fraction compared to 5/4. This gives
an idea that four skaters form more advantage over three rather than
five skaters form over four. This is another form of Math application
in Ice hockey.
3. Consider a center person in Ice hockey, planning for a face-off.
When the referee drops the hockey puck, the person may reach for the
puck at exact time with the knowledge of Math. Math helps a person
to calculate the time the puck takes to reach the Ice and the place
of landing. This in turn helps the player to calculate the speed required
and the time to start the move.
4. In Ice hockey, the sixth and seventh teammates are the boards.
To know the exact spot on the board to strike the puck, the player
needs Math calculations. A theory in Math states that angle of incidence
is equal to the angle of reflection. This theory helps a lot in striking
the puck to the board.
5. Another application of Math is with stick management and skating.
To get more edge control, the skaters needs to roll their ankles.
This relates to the angle rule in Math. To control more Ice with the
hockey stick, a skater needs to keep his knees bent. To get longer
strides, the skaters keep their hips low as per the specification
of triangle rule in Math.
6. The hockey experts say that crossunders help to increase the skaters
speed while turning. This is because there is less interior skating
than the exterior skating without crossunders. The crossunders prevent
the skaters falling into the circle. This application requires physics
more than Math.
Role of Math in Goaltending and Shooting:
When the goalie comes across an opponent on a breakaway, the goalie
needs to come out a little to interrupt the angles. This requires
a lot of Math. The entire process requires a three dimensional application
of Math. The shooting process also accompanies the Math application.
The bridge of Math and sports, helps the hockey players to win the
game. The students need to practice their Math lessons to apply in
their day-today life, to win every point of life.