Maths in hockey: tournament tables

Quick answer

You can use maths to keep track of hockey game results, calculate points, and work out team rankings using tournament tables.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to make and read a hockey tournament table that shows wins, losses, points, and team rankings.

• I can record the results of hockey games in a table.
• I can calculate points for wins and losses.
• I can sort teams from first to last using the points.
• I can use a tournament table to understand how teams compare.

Why this matters

Maths helps us keep track of games and understand who is winning. In hockey, when teams play, we use maths to know who wins, who loses, and who comes first in the tournament. This helps everyone know how the games are going and who might win the trophy!

Whether you're watching a hockey game or playing one, you'll use maths to see how teams are doing. Tournament tables are used in many sports, not just hockey, so learning how to read and make them helps you understand games better.

How it works

When teams play hockey in a tournament, they earn points based on how they do:

1. Win = 3 points
2. Draw = 1 point each
3. Loss = 0 points

Each team plays against others, and their results are added to a table. Then, the teams are sorted from highest points to lowest points to show who is doing best.

Here’s how to make a tournament table:

1. Write down the names of the teams.
2. Record how many games each team has played.
3. Record how many games they won, lost, or drew.
4. Calculate how many points each team has.
5. Sort the teams from highest points to lowest points.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine a small hockey tournament with 4 teams: Team A, Team B, Team C, and Team D.

Let’s see how Team A got their points:

• 2 wins = 2 × 3 = 6 points
• 1 draw = 1 × 1 = 1 point
• Total points = 6 + 1 = 7 points

Now let’s look at Team C:

• 1 win = 1 × 3 = 3 points
• 0 draws = 0 × 1 = 0 points
• 2 losses = 2 × 0 = 0 points
• Total points = 3 + 0 + 0 = 3 points

Try it as a mini adventure

Imagine you're helping your school team make a tournament table for the hockey season. You have 4 teams: Red Dragons, Blue Sharks, Green Eagles, and Yellow Wolves.

Here’s what happened in the first few games:

• Red Dragons beat Blue Sharks
• Green Eagles drew with Yellow Wolves
• Red Dragons beat Green Eagles
• Blue Sharks beat Yellow Wolves

Your challenge is to fill in the tournament table for these teams. Let’s go step by step:

1. How many games has each team played?
2. How many did they win, lose, or draw?
3. How many points does each team have?
4. Who comes first in the table?

Fill in the table below:

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Forgetting to add up the points correctly.
• Why it happens: It's easy to forget to multiply wins by 3 or draws by 1.
• Fix: Use a simple calculation like: 2 wins = 2 × 3 = 6 points. Check your work!

• Mistake: Not counting how many games each team has played.
• Why it happens: You might forget to count how many matches a team played.
• Fix: Count each game each team played, and make sure the number in "Played" is right.

• Mistake: Putting teams in the wrong order in the table.
• Why it happens: You might sort teams from lowest to highest points instead of highest to lowest.
• Fix: Always check that the team with the most points is at the top.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand how tournament tables work by using a real game or a made-up one. You can even play a game with friends or family and record the results together.

What to say:

• “Let’s count how many games each team played.”
• “If a team wins, how many points do they get?”
• “Who has the most points? Why?”

What not to worry about:

• Your child might make a mistake in counting or calculating. That’s okay – it’s part of learning!
• Don’t worry if they don’t get it right the first time. Keep practicing!

How to help:

1. Ask them to explain how they worked out the points.
2. Encourage them to double-check their table.
3. Use real-life examples like football or rugby to show how the same ideas work.

Practice questions

1. Team X won 3 games, drew 1, and lost 0. How many points do they have?
2. Team Y lost 2 games, drew 2, and won 1. How many points do they have?
3. If Team Z has 5 points from 3 games, how many games did they win?
4. Team A beat Team B. Team B beat Team C. Team C drew with Team A. What are the points for each team?
5. Which team comes first in a tournament table if they have 9 points?

Answers:

1. 3 wins × 3 points = 9 points. 1 draw × 1 point = 1 point. Total = 10 points.
2. 1 win × 3 points = 3 points. 2 draws × 1 point = 2 points. Total = 5 points.
3. They won 3 games (3 × 3 = 9 points). They had 0 draws and 0 losses. So 3 games won = 9 points.
4. Team A: 2 wins, 1 draw = 7 points. Team B: 1 win, 1 loss = 3 points. Team C: 1 win, 1 draw = 4 points.
5. The team with 9 points comes first, as long as no other team has more.

FAQ

Why do teams get 3 points for a win?

This is a standard rule in most hockey leagues. It helps make the tournament fair and exciting.

What if two teams have the same points?

If teams are tied, they might play a special game or be ranked by goal difference or other rules.

Can I make a tournament table for other sports?

Yes! You can make tables for football, rugby, basketball, or any game with teams and points.

How do I know if I filled in the table correctly?

Check that the points are calculated correctly and that the teams are in the right order from highest to lowest.

Is it hard to make a tournament table?

No, it’s easy once you understand the rules. Practice makes perfect!