SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

MATHEMATICS

Prepared by:
Ms. Ianna Wilson – Charlestown Secondary
Ms. Casaleen Bullen – Christ Church Secondary
Ms. Tanya David – East Ruimveldt Secondary
Ms. Natisha Miggins – St. John’s College
Mr. Micheal Belgrave – Cummings Lodge Secondary
Ms. Shelley Ceasar – St. Winefride’s Secondary
Ms. Robyn Thomas – St. Winefride’s Secondary
Mr. Andray Haynes – St. John’s College

MARCH 9, 2017

[Company address]
 Acknowledgement

The researcher would like to acknowledge the parents, teachers and librarians of the National
library.
In addition, the researcher extends gratitude to the President of the Georgetown Football
Federation for assistance in this project.
The researcher chose this project to investigate whether or not the penalty spot was the best spot
to score a goal in the game of football.
 Content Page
Project Title
Introduction
Method of Data Collection
Presentation of Data
Analysis of Data
Discussion of Findings
Conclusion
References
Appendix
 Project Title

Is the penalty spot the best place to score a goal? What is the relative probability of shooting
from elsewhere on the field?
 Introduction
This project is aimed at comparing the likeliness of scoring from a penalty spot as against
scoring from any other spot on a football field. As a result, the researcher has facilitated an
experiment with five volunteers to provide a basis for choosing to take a shot from spot as
against another.
Football is a contact sport played by eleven players from each team. The game starts at midfield
with a free kick called the kickoff as each team is in its own half of the field. The offensive
objectives are to maintain possession of the ball, keep the ball wide until near the goal, and the
get the ball infront of the opponent’s goal where a player can propel it between the uprights,
beneath the crossbar, and completely across the goal line for a score. The ball may be propelled
with any part of the body except the arms and hands; however, the foot, body, and head are the
main parts of the body used.
The penalty area/spot is infront of the goal where the goal keeper is allowed to use the hands to
play the ball. A penalty kick is a free kick awarded for a direct free-kick foul in the penalty area
against the defending team.
Proceeding through this document, there will be presentations (both theoretical and
diagrammatical) on the findings of the researcher and her participants from the experiment.

Objectives
 To establish the importance of the fixed position of the penalty spot on a football field.
 To determine the best angle for ball positioning to optimize scoring.
 To investigate any relationship between goal size and scoring.

Limitations of Experiment
 There will be no goal keeper to affect possible scoring.
 Two different goal sizes will be considered: large goal (24 inches tall, 42 inches wide)
and small goal (20 inches tall, 12 inches wide).
 The goal sizes are not standard goal sizes.
 Three distinct ball positions will be examined by all five volunteers: 900, 600 and 300 with
respect to the goal line.
 The volunteers are not professional footballers.
 Method of Data Collection
Due to the nature of the study, the researcher has chosen to use two methods of data collection:
1. Observation
2. Interview

An observational study is a study that attempts to understand cause and effect relationships. On
the focus of this project, the researcher wishes to understand the cause and effect of a fixed
penalty shot position in football.

Interviews are a systematic way of talking and listening to people. The researcher utilizes this
method through allowing her participants to give feedback on the influential factors contributing
to their successes and failures throughout the activity.

Overview of Experiment
A field was set up to be used for experiment. The penalty spot was marked followed by two
other spots, one on each side of the penalty spot. Five volunteers were then summoned and
instructions were given. Each volunteer was entitled to one attempt from each marked spot for
each of the two sizes of goals. As each participant made his/her attempt, the results were
recorded and he/she was allowed to give feedback on difficulty of completing the activity. The
presentations throughout this project are based solely on these recorded results and feedbacks.
 Presentation of Data
Table 1
Showing Goals Scored using Large Goal
Volunteers Left Center Right

Tisha 0 1 0

Cassy 0 1 0

Ianna 0 1 0

Micheal 1 0 1

Haynes 1 1 1
 Table 2
Showing Goals Scored using Small Goal
Volunteers Left Center Right

Tisha 0 0 1

Cassy 0 0 0

Ianna 1 0 0

Micheal 1 0 0

Haynes 0 0 0
 BARCHART COMPARING LARGE AND SMALL
GOALS SCORED

4.5

4
4

3.5

2.5

2
2 2 2

1.5

1
1

0.5

0
0
LEFT CENTER RIGHT

LARGE SMALL

Figure 1
 300 300

900

Figure 2

Diagram Showing the Three Distinct Ball Positions Used

 FIGURE 3

Pie Chart Showing the Goals Scored using the Large Goal

GOALS SCORED

60^0 90^0 30^0

 Analysis of Data
From the observation of events, it was found that there was a relationship between goal size and
ball position. This was evident in Tables 1&2 and Figure 1.
In Table 1, it was seen that 80% of the goals attempted from the penalty spot was successful
shots. The remaining 20% of the goals scored were shots taken from elsewhere on the field. This
infers that the greater the size of the goal, the higher the occurrence of goals being scored from
the penalty position as against elsewhere on the football field.
Table 2 produced results contrary to that of table 1 as it was quite evident that 100% of the goals
attempted from the penalty spot were unsuccessful. The goals actually scored were shots taken
from elsewhere on the field.
Figure 1 showed a side by side comparison of the goals scored from the different positions in
each size of goal. This bar chart provides the first indication that the penalty spot is ideal for goal
scoring in a large goal.
Figure 2 showed the three ball positions that were used at fixed angles with respect to the goal
line. Figure 3 then showed the relationship between the angle of the ball position and scoring in
the large goal. It was seen that as the ball position formed a right angle with respect to the goal
line, the frequency of scoring was two times greater than the frequency of scoring when the ball
was positioned at both 300 and 600 respectively, with respect to the goal line.
 Discussion of Findings
While it is possible to score from any position on a football field, this project shows that the ideal
spot for optimizing number of goals scored in large goal football is indeed the penalty spot.
According to the participants, this is so since less contemplation and calculations are required to
project the ball vertically forward as against, trying to be on target from a diagonal projection of
the ball. Additionally, with the ball positioned directly infront of and in line with the center of
the goal, there is enough space to both ends of the goal to allow a goal to still be scored even if,
the ball sways a little off of the original line of symmetry that it was kicked.
Also, trying to score a goal from one of the diagonal positions, caused a fraction of the goal to be
highly inaccessible especially in the case of these volunteers who had little to no experience in
shooting a football.
These findings suggest that the penalty spot in football is strategically placed so as to give an
advantage to the team of whichever players are given penalty shots. This gives rise to an
understanding therefore, why the terminology “penalty shot” is used. A penalty is a sanction for
misconduct and in football penalty shots are awarded when a rule has been broken in the penalty
area.

Calculation of Probability of Goals Scored in Large Goal

1. Total no. of attempts from penalty spot = 5
No. of goals scored from penalty spot =4
𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠
Probability of scoring from penalty spot = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑠
4
=5

Calculation of Probability of Goals Scored in Small Goal

2. Total no. of attempts from penalty spot = 5
No. of goals scored from penalty spot = 0
𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠
Probability of scoring from penalty spot = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑠
0
= = 0.
5
 Conclusion
In summary, the relative probability of scoring from elsewhere on a football field is less than that
of scoring from the penalty spot when shooting into a large goal. Thus, the penalty spot IS the
best place from which to score a goal.
 References
Kitsingh, Kenny Msc (Kinesiology), Physical Education
and Sports, Skill learning in sports, 149, 153

Schmottlach, Neil. Mc Manama, Jerre, Physical

Education Handbook 9th Edition, 170, 281-305