Editing Tenpin bowling (section)

===Pins and pin carry===
{{ multiple image | align = right | direction = horizontal | total_width =650

| image1   = 20200127 Bowling ball and pins for strike - front view.png
| caption1 = '''Front view:'''{{sfn |Freeman |Hatfield |2018 |loc=Chapter 10 ("The Pocket Isn't the Pocket... and It's Nowhere Near Where You Think It Is") }} the ball impacts center pocket at "board 17.5"—found by a USBC pin-carry study{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}} to maximize strike probability. The ideal impact point is closer to the center of the head pin than many believe.{{sfn |Freeman |Hatfield |2018 |loc=Chapter 10 ("The Pocket Isn't the Pocket... and It's Nowhere Near Where You Think It Is")}}

| image2  = 20181230 Bowling ball at board 17.5 with pins.png
| caption2 = '''Top view:''' Ideal impact for strike{{sfn |Freeman |Hatfield |2018 |loc=Chapter 8 ("Why Does My Ball Hook?") }}

| image3 = 2009 USBC tenpin bowling pin carry study - probability of strike.svg 
| caption3= USBC study results indicating "board 17.5" to be the ideal ball location to achieve strikes, with higher entry angles (shown) and heavier balls (not shown) generally improving chances of striking{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}}
}}
Bowling pins (with a maximum thickness of {{convert|4.766|in|cm|0}} at the waist) are "spotted" (placed) in four rows, forming an equilateral triangle with four pins on a side to form a [[tetractys]].<ref name=USBCspecs/> Neighboring pins are centered {{convert|12|in|cm|0}} apart, leaving a space of {{convert|7.234|in|cm|0}} between pins that can be bridged by a bowling ball of regulation diameter ({{convert|8.5|in|cm|0|disp=or}}).<ref name=USBCspecs>{{cite web |author1=United States Bowling Congress (USBC) |title=USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications Manual |url=https://bowl.com/uploadedFiles/Equipment_Specs/Information/2012FebESManualWEBINTERACTIVE.pdf |website=bowl.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619074452/http://bowl.com/uploadedFiles/Equipment_Specs/Information/2012FebESManualWEBINTERACTIVE.pdf |archive-date=June 19, 2013 |date=February 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pin ''carry''—essentially determining the probability of achieving a strike if the ball impacts in or near the pocket—varies with several factors.{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}} Even before a 2008 USBC pin carry study, it was known that entry angle and ball weight affect strike percentages.{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}} The 2008 study concluded that an impact with the ball centered at "board 17.5" causes pin scatter that maximizes likelihood of striking.{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}}{{sfn |Freeman |Hatfield |2018 |loc=Chapter 8 ("Why Does My Ball Hook?") }} The material of the pin deck and "kickback" (side) plates was also found to materially affect pin carry.{{sfn |Benner |Mours |Ridenour | 2009}}