Steps are there to the top of el castillo

There are two snake-head sculptures on either side of the north-facing staircase. It is believed they represent the god Kukulcan.

There are nine stepped levels on each side of the pyramid. These are divided by the staircase into 18 terraces. They represent the 18 months of the Mayan calendar. El Castillo was built around CE. Since there are 91 steps and we want to know about the 50th step, we know that the height should be a little more than half of the total 24 meters in height. This task could also be used to transition to the 8th grade standard on using similar triangles to prove that the slope of a line is well-defined.

Looking at the cross-section of this pyramid and the similar triangles that we are essentially asking about would be a useful extension task:. There are 91 steps needed to get you to the top, which is 24 meters high.

So we know that. Half of 91 is One tenth of one half or one twentieth of 91 is 4. These add up to In fact, the effect is viewable for a week before and after each equinox. As the equinox sun sets, a play of light and shadow creates the appearance of a snake that gradually undulates down the stairway of the pyramid.

This diamond-backed snake is composed of seven or so triangular shadows, cast by the stepped terraces of the pyramid. The sinking sun seems to give life to the sinuous shadows, which make a decidedly snaky pattern on their way down the stairs.