To determine the best formula for finding a basketball team's winning percentage, we need to understand what winning percentage means. The winning percentage is a measure of how many of the total games a team has won, expressed as a fraction or percentage of the total number of games played.
The correct formula should compare the games won to the total games played. Here’s the detailed step-by-step explanation:
1. Understanding the Components:
- Games Won: The number of games the team has won.
- Total Games Played: The sum of games won and games lost.
2. Formula for Winning Percentage:
- The winning percentage is calculated by dividing the number of games won by the total number of games played.
3. Evaluating the Options:
- Option A: [tex]\( PCT = \frac{\text{games lost}}{\text{games won}} \)[/tex]
- This formula compares the games lost to the games won, not the total games played.
- Option B: [tex]\( PCT = \frac{\text{games won}}{\text{total games played}} \)[/tex]
- This formula correctly matches the games won to the total games played.
- Option C: [tex]\( PCT = \frac{\text{total games played}}{\text{games won}} \)[/tex]
- This formula mistakenly inverses the relationship.
- Option D: [tex]\( PCT = \frac{\text{games won}}{\text{games lost}} \)[/tex]
- This formula compares the games won to the games lost, not the total games played.
By comparing the explanations for each option, it’s clear that the correct formula aligns with Option B:
[tex]\[ PCT = \frac{\text{games won}}{\text{total games played}} \][/tex]
Therefore, the best answer is:
B. [tex]\( PCT = \frac{\text{games won}}{\text{total games played}} \)[/tex]
