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Newspaper Predictions
Predicting Results
Every week some daily newspapers
try to predict the results of the next Saturday's matches. Table
5 gives the predictions by four newspapers and with random
numbers for one Saturday's results from the four divisions. The
final row gives the actual results in the same order. The correct
predictions are underlined.
| |
Div. 1 |
Div. 2 |
Div. 3 |
Div. 4 |
| Daily
Mail |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
2 |
X |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
2 |
X |
1 |
2 |
X |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
| Yorkshire
Post |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
1 |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| The
Sun |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
2 |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
2 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
| Daily
Mirror |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
X |
X |
1 |
2 |
X |
X |
1 |
2 |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Random |
1 |
X |
1 |
X |
1 |
2 |
X |
1 |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
X |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
X |
2 |
1 |
X |
| Results |
1 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
2 |
1 |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
X |
X |
2 |
X |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
1 |
1 |
X |
2 |
1 |
2 |
X =Draw 1 = Home win 2 = Away win
Table 5 - Predicting results
| a |
How
many correct results did each predict? |
The random predictions were done
using a table of random numbers. If the number was 1, 2, 3, 4 or
5, a home win was predicted. If the number was 6, 7 or 8, a draw
was predicted. If the number was 9 or 0, an away win was
predicted.
| |
b |
Whose
predictions are best? Whose predictions are worst? Whose
predictions would you use? |
| * |
c |
Use
your own table of random numbers to make ipredictions'
for the 46 matches played on October 7, 1978. Count how
many you get correct. |
Filling the Pools
Find two newspapers which list the
matches to be played next Saturday.
| a |
Make
a table like Table 5. |
| b |
Forecast
the results of next Saturday's matches. |
| c |
Write
down the predictions from two newspapers. |
| d |
Use
random numbers to make predictions. |
Get the actual results when the
matches have been played. Your parents may be interested in your
predictions.
| e |
Underline
each correct prediction. |
| f |
Count
the number of correct predictions in each method. Which
was the most successful method of prediction? Which was
the least successful? |
| g |
Which
was the most successful method of prediction for your
class as a whole? |
You may like to write to the
newspapers concerned about your results.
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