Transcript: Percentages in Basketball

FLORENCE: I'm Florence Griffith Joyner. In our everyday life numbers are commonly referred to as percentages and fractions. But how do you understand what these numbers really mean? We asked two of women's basketball's greatest players to help you get a grip on percentages and fractions.

NARRATOR: We asked basketball legends Lynnette Woodard and Coach Nancy Lieberman Cline of the Detroit Shocks to calculate just how many fans go wild over women's basketball.

NANCY: Hey Lynnette, what's making news today?

LYNETTE: Hi coach, I was just reading this article and it said that the WNBA's attendance is at an all time high.

NANCY: I tell you what. It's incredible. I know that the people here in Detroit; they come to the Palace and they fill this place to 50% capacity.

LYNETTE: Exactly how many fans does 50% equal?

NANCY: Well, 50% is the same as half. And the Palace holds...

LYNETTE: 22,000 fans.

NARRATOR: The Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Shocks holds 22,000 fans. The 22,000 represents 100%. One half of 22,000 is equal to 11,000 fans. To get 1/2, you divide 22,000 by 2. 50% of 22,000 is 11,000 fans.

LYNETTE: 11,000 fans--that seems like a decent amount.

NANCY: Alright, but let's think big now. What happens if this place was filled to 75% capacity?

LYNETTE: I got an idea, let's play one on one and figure it out.

NANCY: Come on, like old times, first one to three.

LYNETTE: You're on!

NARRATOR: The game is over with a score of Lynette 3, and Nancy 2. Nancy has ade 2 out of 4 shots. The 4 shots she took are represented by a whole, or 100%. If you break that whole into 4 equal parts by dividing by 4, you will find that each bar is equal to 1/4 or 25%.

NANCY: Check this out. I got an easy way to understand 100%

LYNETTE: Think of $1 as 100%

NANCY: Well there are 4 quarters in a dollar. Each quarter is worth 25 cents or 25%.

NARRATOR: Nancy made 2 out of 4 shots. Or half of her shots. Half is the same as 50%. Lynette made 3 out 4 shots. The 4 shots that she took are represented by a whole or 100%. If you break that whole into 4 parts, each part equals 1/4 or 25%. Lynette sank 3 out of 4 baskets or 3/4. 3/4 is the same as 75%. If you compare Nancy and Lynette's shots, you'll see that Lynette made 1/4 or 25% more of her shots than Nancy.

LYNETTE: Okay Coach, I get it. Since I made one more shot than you, that represents 25% of 100%.

NANCY: okay, but let's apply this to our fans at the Palace.

NARRATOR: The Palace holds 22,000 fans. Just like the baskettball, if you split the arena into 4 equal parts by dividing by 4, you'll find that each part is equal to 25%, 1/4 or 5,500 fans.

LYNETTE: Don't forget about that dollar bill. There are 4 quarters in a dollar.

NANCY: And 25% is equal to one of those 4 quarters or 1/4.

NARRATOR: This season, if the Shocks filled the Palace at 50% capacity, it will be filled with 11,000 fans. In order to fill the Palace at 75% capacity, the Shock will need to bring in 3/4 or 16,500 fans. This means that 25% or 5,500 fans need to come to the Palace.

LYNETTE: So it looks like, next season, in order to fill the Palace to 75% capacity, we have to bring in an additional 5,500 fans.

NANCY: Lynette, that means you've got to get on the phone, girl because you've got about 5,500 new friends to make.