| Keyword | Description |
|---|---|
| Mathematician | A person who studies or is an expert in mathematics. |
| Cartel | A group involved in illegal activities, like selling drugs. |
| Recruiting | The process of finding new people to join a group or organization. |
Rafael Prieto-Curiel is a mathematician from Mexico who uses numbers to help solve big problems. One of his studies showed that many people in Mexico work for cartels, which are involved in illegal activities. He found out that these cartels are among the biggest employers in Mexico!
Prieto-Curiel uses math to find ways to reduce crime. He discovered that just arresting criminals doesn’t solve the problem because the cartels quickly hire new members. Instead, stopping them from recruiting new members is more effective.
He was inspired to use math to help after working for the police in Mexico City. There, he used cameras and math models to predict where crimes might happen. This helped the police catch more criminals and respond faster to problems.
Even though his work can be risky because he is dealing with dangerous groups, Prieto-Curiel keeps going because he loves math and wants to make Mexico safer. He believes his math models can help reduce violence and make his country a better place.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Matemáticas |
| Problem | Problema |
| Model | Modelo |
Time to discuss
- Why do you think stopping recruitment is better than just making arrests?
- What are some other ways math can help solve real-world problems?
- How do you think Prieto-Curiel’s work could make Mexico safer?
Let’s Write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph
- What inspired Rafael Prieto-Curiel to use math to help solve crimes?
- What makes his work both important and challenging?
