Practical applications of mathematics play an important role in teacher Larry Peterson's classes at Bonneville High School in Ogden. Drawing on techniques used in real estate appraisal, Mr. Peterson's students learn the real-life relevance of mathematics, applying algebra to calculate the effect of mortgage interest rates on the cost of owning a home or trigonometry to compute the area of irregularly shaped lots. Real-life relevance is also an integral part of "Connecting Students with the Workplace," a program Mr. Peterson co-developed, in which mentors from local businesses present students with actual technical problems, to which the students must find a solution. Mr. Peterson is a board member of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
