Day 16 of the Basketball 2.6 Challenge: y = 1.8393x + 2.019

Not content with plotting the past, the numbers are now encouraging me to predict the future.

The genius of Excel allow you calculate a trendline based on past achievements, and plot your future with a high degree of mathematical certainty.  I’d say a precision level of certainty, found only in the Rolls Royce factories of Derby and the East Midlands.

This now means the end of idle guess work and those moments of anxiety fuelled by What the Heck? (or worse); Why On Earth? You’re ‘avin’ a laff’ can be replaced by the cool scientific endeavour of the linear forecast equation.

y = 1.8393x + 2.019

If you’ve been following the rather tortured trail of the last 15 days, you’ll have spotted the ever-increasing mountain of statistics which have led to the above statement.

It means in short, that I can be guaranteed that on day 20, I will have shot 39.8976 baskets; and by day 26 (the pinnacle of this challenge) I can safely predict a final score of 51.26118 baskets.  There’s a thought!  What 0.26118 of a basket consists of still has to be figured out but I’m guessing it’ll be something to do with those balls that spiral downwards, only to leap out again when you least expect it and when your invigilator has ticked it off as a score.

Praise the Lord for the Linear Forecast Equation and for the glimpse of the future it predicts!

Day	Attempts	Near Misses	Baskets	Effort (Baskets/ Attempt)	Baskets/ Minute (BPM)	FeelGood Factor	Total time	Total Shots	Total Baskets	Success rate
1	N/A	0	8	N/A	0.308	N/A	26		8
2	194	0	15	7.73%	0.577	N/A	52	194	23
3	189	87	2	1.06%	0.077	46.03%	78	383	25	6.5%
4	190	107	7	3.68%	0.269	56.32%	104	573	32	5.6%
5	192	105	11	5.73%	0.423	54.69%	130	765	43	5.6%
6	167	108	6	3.59%	0.231	64.67%	156	932	49	5.3%
7	174	114	14	8.05%	0.538	65.52%	182	1,106	63	5.7%
9	180	108	16	8.89%	0.615	60.00%	234	1,286	63	4.9%
10	166	118	18	10.84%	0.692	71.08%	260	1,452	79	5.4%
11	181	121	20	11.05%	0.769	66.85%	286	1,633	97	5.9%
12	176	115	24	13.64%	0.923	65.34%	312	1,809	117	6.5%
13	179	111	24	13.41%	0.923	62.01%	338	1,988	141	7.1%
14	176	125	19	10.80%	0.731	71.02%	364	2,164	160	7.4%
15	167	101	32	19.16%	1.231	60.48%	390	2,331	192	8.2%
16	147	90	35	23.81%	1.346	61.22%	416	2,478	227	9.2%

You can find out why I’m taking the 2.6 Basketball Challenge here  Any help you can offer is much appreciated!.