Volleyball Maths
Volleyball personal bests maths challenge
A child-friendly sports challenge using personal bests to practise subtraction with real examples.
Quick answer
You can use subtraction to find out how much your volleyball personal best has improved by comparing your old score to your new score.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to use subtraction to find the difference between your old volleyball score and your new score to see how much you have improved. Success signs:- You can subtract two numbers to find how much one number is bigger than another
- You can write a subtraction sentence like 25 - 18 = 7
- You can use subtraction to find how many points you scored in a game
- You can compare two scores to see how much you improved
Why this matters
When you play volleyball, you might want to know how much better you are now than before. Subtracting your old score from your new score helps you see your progress. This maths helps you track your improvement, set new goals, and feel proud of your achievements. It's also useful in many other situations like comparing prices, measuring growth, or seeing how much time you saved.How it works
To find how much your volleyball personal best has improved, follow these simple steps:- Write down your old score from a previous game
- Write down your new score from a recent game
- Subtract the old score from the new score
- Read the answer to see how much you improved
Examples you can see
Let's imagine you're playing volleyball and want to see how much you've improved: Example 1: First game You scored 12 points in your first game. You scored 18 points in your second game. To find how much you improved, subtract: 18 - 12 = 6 points You improved by 6 points! Example 2: More points In your first game, you scored 8 points. In your second game, you scored 15 points. Subtract: 15 - 8 = 7 points You improved by 7 points! Example 3: Same score In your first game, you scored 10 points. In your second game, you scored 10 points. Subtract: 10 - 10 = 0 points You didn't improve at all - same score! Example 4: Less points In your first game, you scored 14 points. In your second game, you scored 9 points. Subtract: 14 - 9 = 5 points You scored 5 points less this time.Try it as a mini adventure
Volleyball Personal Best Challenge You are a volleyball player who wants to track your improvement. Here's your adventure: Step 1: Write down your score from last week's game (say it was 12 points) Step 2: Write down your score from this week's game (say it was 17 points) Step 3: Subtract: 17 - 12 = 5 points Step 4: You improved by 5 points! Step 5: Now try this with your friend's scores: Friend's old score: 8 points Friend's new score: 13 points Subtract: 13 - 8 = 5 points Your friend also improved by 5 points! Step 6: Make a chart showing your scores and improvements:| Game | Old Score | New Score | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 17 | 5 |
| 2 | 8 | 13 | 5 |
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Subtracting the new score from the old score instead of the old from the new
Why it happens: Children might confuse which number goes first in subtraction
Fix: Always subtract the old score from the new score to see improvement - Mistake: Forgetting to write down the scores before subtracting
Why it happens: Children might try to do the maths in their head without writing down the numbers
Fix: Always write down both scores first before subtracting - Mistake: Thinking that a negative answer means you improved
Why it happens: Children might not understand that subtraction shows how much more one number is than another
Fix: Remember that if your new score is lower than your old score, you're not improving - you're getting worse
Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can help children with this volleyball personal best maths challenge by:- Playing the game together with your child
- Using real volleyball scores from actual games
- Creating a chart or table to track scores
- Encouraging children to write down their scores before subtracting
- Practising subtraction with numbers that are relevant to the child's interests
- Reinforcing that improvement means the new score is higher than the old score
- Using positive language when discussing scores and progress
- Helping children understand that making mistakes is part of learning
- Looking for opportunities to use subtraction in daily life
- Not pressuring children to improve quickly - progress takes time
Practice questions
- Old score: 10 points. New score: 15 points. How much did you improve?
- Old score: 12 points. New score: 8 points. How much did you improve?
- Old score: 5 points. New score: 12 points. How much did you improve?
- Old score: 18 points. New score: 18 points. How much did you improve?
- Old score: 7 points. New score: 14 points. How much did you improve?
- 15 - 10 = 5 points
- 12 - 8 = 4 points (you scored 4 points less)
- 12 - 5 = 7 points
- 18 - 18 = 0 points
- 14 - 7 = 7 points
FAQ
What is a personal best in volleyball?
A personal best in volleyball is when you beat your own previous score. It's the highest number of points you've ever scored in a game.
Why do we subtract to find improvement?
We subtract because we want to find the difference between two numbers. Subtraction tells us how much one number is bigger or smaller than another.
Can I improve by scoring fewer points?
No, if you score fewer points than before, you haven't improved. You've actually gotten worse. Improvement means scoring more points than before.
How can I track my volleyball progress?
You can track your progress by writing down your scores from each game and subtracting your old score from your new score to see how much you've improved.
Is this maths useful outside of volleyball?
Yes! This subtraction skill helps you in many situations like comparing prices, measuring growth, seeing how much time you saved, or tracking any kind of improvement.