updated settings.py with a path variable BASE_DIR and project-wide templates folder, implemented template inheritance from templates/base.html to rango/index.html (the rango/templates/rango subdirectory and template is automatically detected by 'django.template.loaders.app_directories.Loader' TEMPLATE_LOADER in settings.py since rango app is in INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py),  implemented Django's render shortcut for views