Real-Life Math -- Solution
1. How much do you predict you'll earn over your eight-year career?
Earnings
= (8 x $50,000) + ($15,000 x 8) + ($20,000 x 2) + (6 x $5,000)
Earnings
= $400,000 + $120,000 + $40,000 + $30,000
Earnings = $590,000
Based
on these assumptions, you'll earn $590,000 from professional basketball.
2.
How much does that work out to per year, on average?
$590,000
/ 8 = $73,750
On average, you'll earn $73,750 each
year.
3. If your team makes the play-offs only twice, and you're never
selected MVP, how much will you earn in total?
Earnings
= (8 x $50,000) + ($15,000 x 8) + (2 x $5,000)
Earnings = $400,000 + $120,000
+ $10,000
Earnings = $530,000
Based on these
assumptions, you'll earn $530,000 from professional basketball over eight
years.
Basketball player Sharon Manning says she loves working with
numbers. She is a starting center.
"I'm good at numbers," she says.
"I can remember people's phone numbers, basketball scores, you name it. I
can remember anything dealing with numbers."
She uses math to figure
out her salary.
"You start at the beginning of the year, and you say,
'OK, I'm making this much money,'" Manning says. "But if I'm on the first
team, I can make this much more. If my team goes to the play-offs,
I can make this much more, and it adds up. You have to add up how much you
can possibly make in one year."