Mathematics Internal

Assessment: Surface area of

a basketball.

Joan Fojou
Introduction:

If there is a sport I will say brings me joy and energy it will be basketball. For as long as I can

remember I have always played basketball and master all its rules and regulations. I usually

stay up night till very late to watch basketball matches and support my favorite team behind

the television. Playing basketball has always calmed me as I was putting in all my rage into

my game, my passion for this sport is really endless and infinite. However, as I was doing

measurements and surface areas of curved surfaces, I started wondering if I could use my

knowledge of mathematics to model the surface area of my basketball. I was so curious that I

could not resist the urge to find out how this could be done, because I knew that I could not

use the simple formula of a sphere given in my mathematics coursebook. I found out that I

needed to use integration, and since it is a topic we have not yet covered, I decided to do

research on it, and though I do not still understand it very well, I intend to get as much help as

I can from my teacher, from my coursebook, and from the internet.

Also, I have always wanted to use my knowledge of a particular course to achieve something

big, and solving problems – not always mathematical - has always intrigued me. Though it is

simplistic in design, and does not look very challenging, it is connected to something I love,

therefore this I why I wanted to connect it with my Mathematics Internal Assessment. This

makes my Research question to be: “Investigating on the surface area of a basketball.”

Background:

An integral is a function whose derivative is a given function. Integration is mostly used to

calculate the areas of two-dimensional regions and the volumes of three-dimensional objects.

Calculating the integral of a function with respect to the x-axis is thus synonymous with

finding the area of the curve with respect to the x-axis. Because it is the reverse process of

differentiation, the integral is also known as the anti-derivative.

Indefinite integrals lack a pre-existing value of limits, making the overall value of the integral

indefinite. To integrate algebraic expressions, trigonometric functions, logarithmic functions,

and exponential functions, indefinite integrals are required.

Hence, ∫ g’(x)dx = G(x) + c

Definite integrals are integrals with pre-existing bounds, making the final value of the integral

definite. The definite integrals are used to calculate the area under a curve with respect to one

of the coordinate axes and within the specified limits.

Hence, g(x) = G’(x),

= ∫ g ( x ) dx=g ( b )−g(a)
a

However, integration is not only useful in mathematics, but it helps in different fields.

Integrals can also be used to find the area enclosed in the eclipse, the size of the region

bounded by the curve, or any enclosed area bounded by the x- and y-axes. The use of

integrations varies according to the field. It is used by graphic designers to create three-

dimensional models. Physicists use it to calculate the center of gravity, the mass and

momentum of satellites, the velocity and trajectory of a satellite, among other things. Integrals

are also used by engineers to determine the shape of a building.

Rationale:

I am very passionate about basketball, and it is only natural for me to decide to investigate on

its surface area. It is not only because I love basketball that I decided to focus my exploration

on this, it is also because of my addiction to learn new things every day, as I mentioned

above. I believe that this exploration is going to develop my critical thinking abilities and the

perspective to which I observe mathematical problems. Also, the fact that I have not yet done

integration in a way forces me to make more research on it, and it means that when we will
we learning it in class I will have better information on the topic. Mathematics has not always

been my favorite subject, mostly because I do not understand it very well, however, I believe

that this opportunity that the IB gave me with the Internal Assessment in mathematics will

help me to be a better mathematics student, and Integration I believe is one of the most

challenging topics in the course.

Aim:

When I was doing my research, I found out that we could use integration to find volumes and

surface areas of solid of revolution, for example a sphere as my basketball. The volume part

did not interest me very much, since I do not want to know the amount of space found in the

ball. As I was researching, I found out the formula that could help me:

√
r
dy
Surface Area = 4π∫ x 1+ ¿ ² dx ¿
0 dx

Formula 1.

My aim is to use integration and this formula above to help model a formula that will be of

use to find out the surface area of a basketball and to use that formula to calculate the surface

area of my basketball. I also want to sharpen my knowledge of mathematics with this

exploration, and be a better source of knowledge for those who need help.

Model:

Knowing that the formula to find the surface area of a sphere with no use of integrals is

Area = 4πr2

Formula 2.

I will further more investigate on how to derive this formula 1 from formula 2 and in my

exploration show these steps. Then I will use formula 1 to find the approximate surface area
of my basketball. After I will model my basketball using a graphic software such as Desmos

to find its coordinates on the graph. Then after learning more on integration, I will use the

data on Desmos and my acquired knowledge to find out the surface area.

Conclusion/Limitations:

As a limitation for now, I will say that my knowledge of calculus (integration) is very much

limited, and that right I can do pretty much nothing to find the surface area of my basketball.

Also, right now, I do not have enough materials like a GDC to help me carry out my

exploration easily, and so this complicates thing for me. Also, I might certainly carry out

human error and the rounding up of numbers can affect my final results, and could make them

to become bias.

References:

1. “Application of Integrals - Examples | Integral Application.” Cuemath,

https://www.cuemath.com/calculus/applications-of-integrals/

2. “What Is the Use of Integration in Real Life?” BYJUS,

https://byjus.com/jee-questions/what-is-the-use-of-integration-in-real-life/#:~:text=In

%20real%20life%2C%20integrations%20are,three%2Ddimensional%20models

%20are%20demonstrated.

3. MATHalino. “Derivation of Formula for Total Surface Area of the Sphere by

Integration | Derivation of Formulas Review at MATHalino.” Mathalino.com,

https://mathalino.com/reviewer/derivation-formulas/derivation-formula-total-surface-

area-sphere-integration#:~:text=Derivation%20of%20Formula%20for%20Total

%20Surface%20Area%20of%20the%20Sphere%20by%20Integration,-The%20total

%20surface&text=See%20Length%20of%20Arc%20in,dA%20from%200%20to

%20r.&text=A%3D4%CF%80r2%20okay!
4. Clastify. “IB Maths IA Example: Modelling the Surface Area of a Ceramic Pot |

Clastify.”

https://www.clastify.com/ia/maths/618246d3a29608001345791c