Need help with math for USPSA/IPSC!

[hwansikcjswo]

I was researching about Eric Grauffel and found that he uses some mathematics to help his shooting.

I found a video of a guy taking Eric's class and Mike Seeklander's interview.

I asked one of them about what Eric explained about the math.

Quoting ;

Can you share about the new way to use mathematics that was mentioned in the video?

Reply

Hide replies

JM Works Sweden3 weeks ago

+ThumblessKorean Hi, the mathematics was only new to us and since my mathematic skills are higly limited I use an app in the phone to calculate hit factors and so on. But Eric tried to teach us how to calculate what you have to preform in terms of time/hits to beat a certain opponent. // Joakim

Reply1

ThumblessKorean3 weeks ago

Oh! So It was about calculating hit factors I guess? Thank you so much for the comment.

Reply

JM Works Sweden2 weeks ago

+ThumblessKorean Yes, calculating factors, but with the twist that you can calculate what you need to perform to beat a certain opponent. Possibly very useful, but I still tries to keep my hits in the A zone and not taking too long doing it :-) Thanks for watching! // Joakim

From the Mike's interview ;

Mike: How do you decided to shoot a particular stage? For example, do you deeply analyze and base off the numbers (hit factor)?

Eric: Do you like Math? Cause I do!

Mike’s comment: I can tell you that Eric uses his love of math to analyze and help him strategize the stage. This skill is something that can be learned and used at the higher levels of the sport. If you shoot USPSA/IPSC consider really learning how the scoring and hit factor works, and how to use it to analyze what the stage focus should be.

I am an engineering student. but I must ask you guys on what you guys think what Eric's doing with math.

Edited February 20, 2016 by hwansikcjswo

[Jake Di Vita]

I would guess they are talking about a few things.

The first is calculating hit factor to see if the stage is weighted towards either speed or accuracy. A 14 hit factor stage, every second is worth 14 points. That means every point is worth about .07 seconds which usually means a fast C is better than a slow A. If you are shooting Production, you would have to make up a C with an A in less than .14 seconds in order to gain ground. Obviously C's aren't worth making up here, and D's probably aren't either at .28 or less required to come out ahead. On the other hand, if it is a 5 hit factor stage, every point is worth .2 seconds. Now all of a sudden it becomes a bit more mathematically reasonable to make up shots out of the A or do whatever is needed to ensure to alpha in the first place.

This can sometimes come into play on the plan you decide to shoot and where you engage targets if you have some options. On more rare cases, it can sometimes be mathematically reasonable to skip disappearing targets.

That being said, I've won and lost 14+ hit factor stages on points.

Ultimately, the best bet is usually to just go shoot.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Jake Di Vita

[Sarge]

I envy shooters who I hear talking with fellow GM's on a walk thru about this being a xx hit factor stage, or to go slow on this one and get your hits or go fast on this one and don't worry about all alphas.

I typically just shoot everything as fast as I can then when I'm done somebody will say damn dude you shot that way too fast! Ugh...

[theWacoKid]

It's another tool. I find that it makes sense in how to approach some stages. It is valid that high hit factor stages are more sensitive to time gains while low hit factor stages are a little more biased to points. It's just some hard information to use in balancing trade offs.

The math itself is pretty decisive on determining how to treat disappearing targets too. The art comes in accurately approximating stage and segment hit factors. If you're good at that then the math solves the problem for you. If you're not able to approximate your performance on a stage before shooting it then the math won't help.