Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

SESSION ONE

PROBLEM ONE
Two Australian Rules football teams from the same Victorian country town have completed an 18
game season. The seasons results were
Kites: 10 wins, 1 draw, 7 losses
Goblins: 8 wins, 2 draws, 8 losses
For a win they received four (4) points, a draw two (2) points and a loss one (1) point.

(a) Represent the season results as a 2  3 matrix

W D L
R = Kites é 10 1 7 ù
ê ú
Goblins ë 8 2 8 û

(b) Represent the points awarded as a 3  1 matrix

Re sult Point s
W é 4 ù
P = ê ú
D ê 2 ú
L êë 1 úû

(c) Using matrices from (a) and (b), calculate the total premiership points for each
team.

é 4 ù
é 10 1 7 ù ê ú é 49 ù
Total points = ê ú´ê 2 ú = ê ú
ë 8 2 8 û ê 1 ú ë 44 û
ë û

(1 + 1 + 2 = 4 marks)

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

PROBLEM TWO
During the season, the coach of the Kites divided his team into four squads – named for the captain
of each squad (Andy, Brett, Chas and Donny) – and ran a series of head-to-head competitive
training sessions, where each squad competed once against each other squad in a series of skill
tests. The competition results are summarised in the directed graph below.
A B

C D

Each arrow shows the winner of a session played in the competition. For example, the arrow from C
to A shows that Chas’ squad defeated Andy’s squad.
In the competition, each squad was given a ranking that was determined by calculating the sum of
their one-step and two-step dominances.

(a) Construct a one-step dominance matrix for this competition, with rows representing winners
and columns representing losers.
A B C D
A é 0 1 0 1 ù
D1 = ê ú
B ê 0 0 0 1 ú
C ê 1 1 0 0 ú
D êë 0 0 1 0 úû

(b) Construct a two-step dominance matrix for this competition, with rows representing winners
and columns representing losers.
A B C D
A é 0 0 1 1 ù
D2 = D12 = ê ú
B ê 0 0 1 0 ú
C ê 0 1 0 2 ú
D êë 1 1 0 0 úû

(c) Use matrix algebra to construct a matrix containing the sum of the one-step and two-step
dominance matrices, and hence determine the ranking sum for each squad. Whose squad
was the winner?

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

A B C D
A é 0 1 1 2 ù A = 0 + 1+ 1+ 2 = 4
D1 + D2 = ê ú
B ê 0 0 1 1 ú B = 0 + 0 + 1+ 1 = 2
C ê 1 2 0 2 ú C = 1+ 2 + 0 + 2 = 5
D êë 1 1 1 0 úû
D = 1+ 1+ 1+ 0 = 3

The ranking of the squads is Chas, Andy, Donny and Brett. Chas’ squad were the winners.

PROBLEM THREE
Historical records of the first season for the Kites and Goblins in 1975 showed they played each
other three times and the number of tickets sold for those matches was summarised as follows.

Match Adults Children Pensioners Total Match

Takings $
Round 2 245 310 76 720.40
Round 9 120 44 0 311.00
Round 16 321 410 102 945.80

However no records of ticket prices were found.

(a) Three simultaneous equations were set up to find the ticket prices charged back in
1975. Complete the final two equations, given
x = adult ticket prices
y = children ticket prices
z = pensioner ticket prices

First Equation: 245x + 310y + 76z = $720.40

Second Equation: 120x +44y = $311.00

Third Equation: 321x + 410y + 102z = $945.80

(b) Write the three simultaneous equations in matrix form.

é 245 310 76 ù é x ù é 720.40 ù

ê úê ú ê ú
ê 120 44 0 ú ê y ú = ê 311.00 ú
êë 321 410 102 úû êë z úû êë 945.80 úû

(c) Determine the prices of the tickets in 1975 using your matrix equation from (b).

The price of adult tickets is $2.50.

The price of child tickets is $0.25
The price of pensioner tickets is $0.40.

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

SESSION TWO

The town folks were constantly changing allegiance for their two local teams when clearly one team
performed far better than the other team in a season. Over the years the degree of change was
determined and can be summarised as follows.

If Kites was the better performing team

• 90% of Kites’ supporters remained Kites’ supporters the following season.
• 40% of Goblins’ supporters became Kites’ supporters the following year.

If Goblins was the better performing team

• 95% of Goblins’ supporters remained Goblins’ supporters the following season.
• 30% of Kites’ supporters became Goblins’ supporters the following year.

In the town of 20 000 supporters, assume the supporters initially are equally divided between the
two teams.

(a) Write down the initial state matrix concerning supporter numbers for each team.

é 10 000 ù K
S0 = ê ú
êë 10 000 úû G

Now consider that Kites were to perform better than Goblins for a three year period.

(b) Write the transition matrix for when Kites are the better side.
From
K G
é 0.9 0.4 ù K
TK = ê ú To
ë 0.1 0.6 û G

(c) Set up an appropriate matrix equation and find the number of supporters for the
two teams after three (3) years of the Kites performing better than the Goblins.

3
é ù é ù é ù
S3 = ê 0.9 0.4 ú ê 10000 ú = ê 15250 ú
ë 0.1 0.6 û ë 10000 û ë 4750 û
After 3 years of the Kites performing better than the Goblins, there are
15 250 Kites’ supporters and 4750 Goblins supporters.

Now consider that Goblins were to perform better than Kites for a three year period.

(d) Write the transition matrix for when Goblins are the better side.
From
K G
é 0.7 0.05 ù K
TK = ê ú To
ë 0.3 0.95 û G

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

(e) Set up an appropriate matrix equation and find the number of supporters for the
two teams after three (3) years of the Goblins performing better than the Kites.

3
é ù é ù é ù
S3 = ê 0.7 0.05 ú ê 10000 ú = ê 4818.75 ú
ë 0.3 0.95 û ë 10000 û ë 15181.25 û
Rounding off to whole numbers there are expected to be 15 181 Goblins’
supporters and 4819 Kites’ supporters if the Goblins had three years
of better performance.

(f) Which team would in the long term have the largest supporter base if they
continued to perform better?
Justify your answer with calculations.

For long term trends set n to a very large number, say 100.
100
é ù é ù é ù
S3 = ê 0.9 0.4 ú ê 10000 ú = ê 16000 ú
ë 0.1 0.6 û ë 10000 û ë 4000 û
Kites performing well in a long run will have 16 000 supporters at maximum.

100
é ù é ù é ù
S3 = ê 0.7 0.05 ú ê 10000 ú = ê 2857.14 ú
ë 0.3 0.95 û ë 10000 û ë 17142.85 û
Goblins performing well in a long run will have 17 143 supporters at maximum.

Therefore Goblins would be expected to have a larger supporter base if they

were the better side for a long period.

NOTE that these results can be obtained with an n value of 25!

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

SESSION THREE

PROBLEM ONE
The gym at the Goblins Football and Netball Club has a number of fitness activities.

The football players are advised to vary their training each week to maximise their fitness
outcomes, and can choose between the treadmills (T), the weight circuit (W) or football skills
training (F).

During the first week of the season, 100 players from various levels attended training. All of the
players started on the treadmill. The state matrix for week 1, is:
é 100 ù T
ê ú
S1 = ê 0 ú W
êë 0 úû F

The transition matrix showing the movement between training regimes each week is:
From
T W F
é 0 0.2 0.4 ù
ê ú T
T = ê 0.5 0 0.6 ú W To
ê ú
ê 0.5 0.8 0 ú F
ë û

(a) Three elements in the transition matrix have been highlighted. Explain the meaning of these
three elements.

Each week, players move to a different training component and none repeat the same
activity in consecutive weeks.

(b) Determine the number of players who will do football skills training in the third week of
training.

2
é 0 0.2 0.4 ù é 100 ù é 30 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú
S3 = ê 0.5 0 0.6 ú ê 0 ú = ê 30 ú
êë 0.5 0.8 0 úû êë 0 úû êë 40 úû
40 footballers will be doing football skills

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

(c) The pattern continues. Show that in the long run, 41 players will do football skills training
each week if values are rounded to the nearest whole number.

é 23 ù
Must show two and subsequent state matrices rounding to ê 36 ú
ê ú
êë 41 úû
19
é 0 0.2 0.4 ù é 100 ù é 23.42 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú
S20 = ê 0.5 0 0.6 ú ê 0 ú = ê 36.03 ú
êë 0.5 0.8 0 úû êë 0 úû êë 40.53 úû
20
é 0 0.2 0.4 ù é 100 ù é 23.42 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú
S21 = ê 0.5 0 0.6 ú ê 0 ú = ê 36.03 ú
êë 0.5 0.8 0 úû êë 0 úû êë 40.54 úû

The Goblin Football and Netball Club has football teams playing at each of three levels; firsts,
seconds and thirds.

Some players are promoted or dropped a level during the season and others are unavailable due to
injury or return from injury.

The number of players, Pn , at each level for the nth week of one particular season is modeled by
the equation :

é 0.8 0.2 0 ù é –2 ù é 40 ù Firsts

ê ú ê ú ê ú
Pn+1 = ê 0.2 0.6 0.4 ú ´ Pn + ê 5 ú , P1 = ê 40 ú Sec onds
êë 0 0.2 0.6 úû êë –3 úû êë 40 úû Thirds

(d) How many players would be available at each level during the third week?

There will need to be two separate calculations.

é 0.8 0.2 0 ù é 40 ù é –2 ù é 38 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú ê ú
P2 = ê 0.2 0.6 0.4 ú ´ ê 40 ú + ê 5 ú = ê 53 ú
êë 0 0.2 0.6 úû êë 40 úû êë –3 úû êë 29 úû
é 0.8 0.2 0 ù é 38 ù é –2 ù é 39 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú ê ú
P3 = ê 0.2 0.6 0.4 ú ´ ê 53 ú + ê 5 ú = ê 56 ú
êë 0 0.2 0.6 úû êë 29 úû êë –3 úû êë 25 ú
û

39 firsts, 56 seconds and 25 thirds

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

(e) The club would like to retain the same number of players in week 3 that they had at each
level during week 2.

é –2 ù
ê ú represents the number of players lost or returned due to injury at that level each
ê 5 ú
êë –3 úû
week.

é x ù é –2 ù
Using the matrix ê y ú instead of ê ú will ensure that the numbers do not change after
ê ú ê 5 ú
êë z úû êë –3 úû
week 2.

What are the values of x, y and z?

The club would like to retain the same number of players for week 3 that they had at each
level during week 2, this means week 3 must equal to week 2. That is P3 = P2.

0.8 0.2 0 38 𝑥 38
𝑃3 = [0.2 0.6 0.4] × [53] + [𝑦] = [53]
0 0.2 0.6 29 𝑧 29
41 𝑥 38
𝑃3 = [51] + [𝑦] = [53]
28 𝑧 29

Hence
é x ù é 38 ù é 41 ù é –3 ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú ê ú
ê y ú = ê 53 ú – ê 51 ú = ê 2 ú
êë z úû êë 29 úû êë 28 úû êë 1 úû

Therefore x = – 3, y = 2, z = 1

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

PROBLEM TWO
The coach of the Goblins Football team loves playing around with anagrams – letter combinations
that can generate a number of different words. For example, the letters A, E, M and N can form the
words AMEN, MANE, MEAN or NAME.

He also knows that permutation matrices can be used to rearrange the letters in a word.

é T ù é 0 0 0 1 0 ù
ê ú ê ú
ê R ú ê 0 0 1 0 0 ú
(a) If matrix W = ê A ú and matrix P = ê 1 0 0 0 0 ú , then what word is formed by
ê C ú ê 0 0 0 0 1 ú
ê E ú ê 0 1 ú
ë û ë 0 0 0 û
the matrix product P  W ?

é C ù
ê ú
ê A ú
ê T ú
ê E ú
ê ú
ë R û

(b) In the matrix provided below, fill in the element values for matrix Q so that the matrix
product Q  W gives the word REACT.

é ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ù é T ù é R ù

ê ú ê ú ê ú
ê ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ú ê R ú ê E ú
ê ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ú´ê A ú = ê A ú
ê ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ú ê C ú ê C ú
ê ú ê ú ê T ú
ë ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... û ë E û ë û

é 0 1 0 0 0 ù é T ù é R ù
ê ú ê ú ê ú
ê 0 0 0 0 1 ú ê R ú ê E ú
ê 0 0 1 0 0 ú´ê A ú = ê A ú
ê 0 0 0 1 0 ú ê C ú ê C ú
ê ú ê ú ê T ú
ë 1 0 0 0 0 û ë E û ë û

é T ù
ê ú
ê R ú
(c) Explain why the matrix product Q3  W gives the matrix ê A ú.
ê C ú
ê ú
ë E û

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Matrices Problem Solving Task SOLUTIONS Sport Practice SAC

é 1 0 0 0 0 ù
ê ú
ê 0 1 0 0 0 ú
Q3 = ê 0 0 1 0 0 ú which is the 5  5 identity matrix.
ê 0 0 0 1 0 ú
ê ú
ë 0 0 0 0 1 û

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