Extra Credit
When I was still in the classroom, I sometimes gave extra-credit assignments that did not directly relate to course material. For instance, at more than one HBCU (Historically Black College or Univrsity), in courses on basic computing, I regularly used the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin as such a topic, telling my students Pushkin was a point of intersection between their background and mine. Particularly among young men, Pushkin was a big success in this context.
Now that my teaching is done entirely online and through my blogs (yes, I do consider this teaching), I've got a new topic for extra credit that I want to put in front of you. Anyone who can explain clearly the three terms below will receive an award as IPOW (Informed Progressive of the Week) as well as lots of congratulations.
The brain twisters are:
- Does the First Amendment to our Constitution make any provision regarding the establishment of new religions?
- In the First Amendment, what right, of the American people, is described as needing to take place peaceably?
- For what reason should such actions be taken?
Explaining concepts like these in English without one's eyes rolling back n one's head isn't easy, but it's needed in order to win the award. I'll announce the winner a week from today.
OBP -- (On base percentage) Take for a batter the number of hits plus the number of walks plus the number of times hit-by-pitch (HBP) as the numerator of the ratio. Then divide by the sum of a) number of "official" plate appearances (excluding walks, sacrifices, reaching base on catcher's interference, etc.) b) number of walks, and c) number of HBP.
ReplyDeleteOPS -- (On-base Percentage + Slugging) Sum of OBP and SLG (see formula below).
SLG -- (Slugging Percentage) Sum the following for a hitter as the numerator of the ratio -- number of singles, number of doubles times two, number of triples times three, and number of home runs times four. Then divide by the number of 'official' plate appearances.