Orillas

We are a happy group of 20 students, whose ages range from 12 to 14 years old. Like real numbers we are happy, fun and indispensable. We are like fractions because you donít know what answer youíll get when you divide them. We have a great desire to learn. Like the different mathematical operations, which each have their steps, we know that each event has its time and place. We have learned that to work in a group collaboratively, helps us to understand more and to interact more with our classmates. We are in our second to fourth years of secondary school at the prestigious school Francisco Antonio de Zela, which has close to 3000 students. Our school offers courses at many levels: elementary, intermediate, secondary and university. Our school is located in the Ciudad Heroica (heroic city) of Tacna, which is in the southern part of Peru. Tacna occupies an area of 1,607,589 square kilometers, has a population of approximately 218,218,353 inhabitants (according to the census of 1993), and an elevation of 562 meters. Of the activities mentioned, we would most like to participate in ìStatistics and Society,î ìPromoting Equity at Our School Site,î ìDaily Math in our Community,î and ìWhat Math Means for Us.î One original idea we have for an activity, which we mentioned above, would be to work in small groups and divide the work so that we can accomplish all that has been proposed. Itís been a pleasure for us to write to you, and we look forward to your responses. Note: A joke: ìThere was a party attended solely by numbers 0 (zero). They were hanging out when a number 8 (eight) arrived; causing all to look and comment: ëWhat is a number 8 doing at a party of 0ís?í The 0ís called out to the 8, asking him to leave the party, and he replied, ëCanít I wear a belt?íî Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... laugh!