[EX03-001]

Minnesota Timberwolves, 2003–2004 Regular Season Personal Fouls Points per Personal Fouls Points per Player per Game Game Player per Game Game Garnett 2.5 24.2 Madsen 2.4 3.6 Cassell 3 19.8 Martin 1.4 3.4 Sprewell 1.2 16.8 McLeod 1.2 2.7 Szczerbiak 1.5 10.2 Goldwire 1.0 2.6 Hudson 1.1 7.5 Miller 1.9 2.5 Hoiberg 1.7 6.7 Johnson 2.4 1.9 Olowokandi 3.2 6.5 Lewis 0.7 1.1 Trent 1.9 5.6 Ebi 0.4 0.8 Hassell 2.5 5 Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teams

a. Construct a scatter diagram, using points scored per game, y, and number of personal fouls committed per game, x. Explain why you believe there is or is not a relationship.

b. Are the two variables points scored per game and number of personal fouls committed per game correlated? Use the correlation coefficient to justify your answer.

c. Express the relationship between the two variables total points scored, y, and number of personal fouls committed, x, as a linear equation.

d. Using the results from part

c, if a Minnesota Timberwolves player committed two fouls in a game, how many points would you expect him to score?

e. If the player in part d committed a third personal foul, how many extra points would you expect him to score?

f. How does the slope for the line of best fit relate to the number of additional points expected when the player commits one extra personal foul?

g. Do the preceding results show a cause-and-effect relationship between total points scored and number of personal fouls committed? Explain.

h. Should the team coach instruct a player to commit an extra personal foul so that he will score more points? Explain.

i. Name at least one possible lurking variable for the preceding situation.

Suppose the preceding investigation is to be expanded to include an additional variable, “minutes played per game.”
j. Describe the relationship you think might exist between the variables “minutes played per game” and “points scored per game.” Explain why.
k. Describe the relationship you think might exist between the variables “minutes played per game” and “number of personal fouls committed per game.” Explain why.
l. Could “minutes played per game” be a lurking variable for the work completed in parts a–h?
Explain.