NewsPronto

 
The Times Real Estate

.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

The math behind the perfect free throw

  • Written by Larry Silverberg, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University
Small differences account for a shooter's consistency.Aspen Photo/shutterstock.com

Some 20 years ago, my colleague Dr. Chau Tran and I developed a way to simulate the trajectories of millions of basketballs on the computer.

We went to the coaches and assistant coaches at North Carolina State University, where we are based, and told them we had this...

Read more: The math behind the perfect free throw

More Articles ...

  1. Can sound be used as a weapon? 4 questions answered
  2. Nebraskans who support and oppose 'religious freedom' laws actually share many of the same values
  3. The US Census Bureau keeps confusing race and ethnicity
  4. From Smell-O-Vision to Astrocolor, the film industry's biggest innovation flops
  5. Encrypted smartphones secure your identity, not just your data
  6. How a nuclear attack on North Korea would add to global cancer epidemic
  7. African rhythms, ideas of sin and the Hammond organ: A brief history of gospel music's evolution
  8. International adoptions have dropped 72 percent since 2005 – here’s why
  9. Why deporting the 'Dreamers' is immoral
  10. Why is the NRA boycott working so quickly?
  11. Garbage in, garbage out: Incinerating trash is not an effective way to protect the climate or reduce waste
  12. Why Trump may usher in the biggest gas tax hike ever
  13. 'Two societies, one black, one white' – the Kerner Commission's prophetic warnings
  14. If you want to know how to stop school shootings, ask the Secret Service
  15. How your brain is wired to just say ‘yes’ to opioids
  16. How Olympic athletes grapple with life once the thrill is gone
  17. Loneliness is bad for your health
  18. Understanding the US political divide, one word cloud at a time
  19. Why Trump's idea to arm teachers may miss the mark
  20. Mental illness and gun laws: What you may not know about the complexities
  21. Plague bacteria may be hiding in common soil or water microbes, waiting to emerge
  22. Here's how we can make going to college smoother for students who've been in foster care
  23. Washington has meddled in elections before
  24. Will Pyeongchang be able to avoid a post-Olympics day of reckoning?
  25. The NRA's journey from marksmanship to political brinkmanship
  26. How the firearms industry influences US gun culture, in 6 charts
  27. How working with men and boys could stop domestic violence
  28. Mad cows, Oprah Winfrey and communicating the science in a high-profile court case
  29. Why is breast cancer mortality higher for African-American women than for white women?
  30. This $75 million gift might make higher ed question its obsession with science and tech
  31. A former prosecutor reimagines how the criminal justice system can serve victims of domestic violence
  32. Is it wrong to ask your doctor for opioids?
  33. Operation Gunnerside: The Norwegian attack on heavy water that deprived the Nazis of the atomic bomb
  34. A record 29,000 Mexicans were murdered last year – can soldiers stop the bloodshed?
  35. Deported twice, man struggles to help his family survive
  36. Before the US approves new uranium mining, consider its toxic legacy
  37. Starting with Mother Nature's designs will speed up critical development of new antibiotics
  38. Before hitting the road, self-driving cars should have to pass a driving test
  39. Why this generation of teens is more likely to care about gun violence
  40. Why the 2020 census shouldn't ask about your citizenship status
  41. Why accountability efforts in higher education often fail
  42. When the media cover mass shootings, would depicting the carnage make a difference?
  43. College students may not be as heart-healthy as they think
  44. How Billy Graham's legacy lives on in American life
  45. Why school leaders fake academic success
  46. How airplane crash investigations can improve cybersecurity
  47. Why is there so little research on guns in the US? 6 questions answered
  48. To slow climate change, the US needs to address nuclear power's dismal economics
  49. What cybersecurity investigators can learn from airplane crashes
  50. The way humans point isn't as universal as you might think