8 Mathematics

Mathematics in Gaming

Task 2: Rates
Using your understanding of what rates are
used for, answer the following questions.

Question 1. Express the following worded situations as rates.

(a) A game is projected at 240 frames every 4 seconds.

(b) A screen displays a game at 540 frames every 6 seconds.

(c) A online game costs $40 to play for 4 hours.

(d) The average person blinks 15 times per minute.

(e) The average person whilst on-screen blinks 6 times per minute.

(f) An average gamer spends at least 6 hours per week playing.

(g) An average minecraft player plays 20 days per month playing.

DEFINITION: A simple rate is when the second quantity in the relationship is 1. For example:
Hours played per (1) day
Frames per (1) second

Note: To express a rate as a simple rate, you need to simplify by calculating how many times
the second quantity divides into the first quantity.
Worked Example
Simplify 60 frames per 2 seconds

60 frames/2 seconds
We need a simple rate /1 second
So divide by 2,
30 frames/second

Note: In a simple rate, you dont need to write the 1 after the /.

Question 2. Express the following rates as simple rates, where necessary.

(a) 240 frames/4 seconds (to fps)

(b) 540 frames/6 seconds (to fps)

(c) $40/4 hours (to $/hr)

(d) 30 blinks/2 minutes

(e) 30 blinks/5 minutes

(f) 24 hours/month

(g) 240 days/year

Q: Which of these are already simple rates?

Knowing a simple rate, we can calculate larger rates using multiplication!

Worked Example
If a screen can display an image at 60 frames/second, how many frames can it display in
10 seconds?

60 frames/second
? frames/10 seconds
To get 1 to 10, we multiply by 10.
So we must multiply 60 by 10 also...
60 x 10 = 600
So, 600 frames/10 seconds.

Worked Example
If a game costs $50/4 months to play online, how much will it cost to play for:

(a) 8 months

$50/4 months
$ ? /8 months
To get 4 to 8, we multiply by 2.
So we must multiply $50 by 2 also
$50 x 2 = $100
So $100/8 months.

(b) 7 months (using the Unitary Method)

$50/4 months
$ ? /1 month
To get 4 to 1, we have to divide by 4.
So $50 divide by 4 = $12.50

So the simple rate is $12.50/month

If it costs $12.50/month
Then $ ?/7 months
We need to multiply by 7.
So $12.50 x 7 = $87.50
So $87.50/7 months
Question 3. Finding unknown quantities using rates.

(a) If the frame rate of a game is 60 fps, how many frames are displayed in 3 seconds?

(b) If the refresh rate of a monitor is 120 Hz, how many frames can it display in 5
seconds? [Remember Hz is also frames/second]

(c) If a game costs $60 to play per month, for how many months would $240 allow you to
play?

(d) If the average person blinks 15 times a minute, how many times would they blink in
30 minutes?

(e) If a gamer plays Minecraft on average of 1.5 hours per night, for how many hours
would they play in one week?* [Hint: Change of units required]

EXTRA TASK:
Like you saw in Q3 (e), we may need to change the units so we can answer the question in the
correct rate. So we will need to know some common conversions. Complete the table below.

$1 = cents 1 year = days 1 year = months

1 year = weeks 1 week = days 1 day = hours

1 hour = mins 1 min = seconds 1 day = seconds

1 km = m 1m= cm 1 cm = mm
Question 4. Change of Units

Convert the following rates into the required units:

(a) 3600 frames/minute to fps

(b) 432000 frames/hour to Hz (fps)

(c) $42.70/week to $/day

(d) 600 blinks/hour to blinks/minute

(e) 365 hours/year to hours/day

(f) *(Challenge)* 728 hours/year to:

(i) hours/week

(ii) hours/day

(iii) mins/day

(iv) mins/hour
Question 5. ITS YOUR TURN! BE CREATIVE
From your knowledge and experience of gaming, think of at least two other rates that could be
used in gaming. You need to:
(i) Define of the objects/quantities in the relationship in words.
(ii) Express the words into a numerical example and simplify it.
(iii) Make up your own question and answer to how it can be applied.