To solve this problem you must apply the proccedure shown below:
1. You have the following information given in the problem above:
- The diameter of a basketball rim is 18 inches.
- A standard basketball has a circumference of 30 inches.
2. Therefore, the diameter of the standard basketball is:
D=30 inches/π
D=9.54 inches
3. Therefore you have:
(18 inches-9.54 inches)=8.45 inches on both sides
4. Then, the distance the distance between the ball and the rim in a shot in which the ball goes exactly in the center of the rim, is:
d=8.45 inches/2
d=4.22 inches
The answer is: 4.22 inches