In this section, we present three student activities based on Maya geometry.
An activity for grades 7 and up that applies the Pythagorean Theorem and investigates the special square root ratios that appeared in Maya architecture
This activity can be carried out on a large scale as in the video above or on a smaller scale. For the larger scale activity, using ten to twelve students and about 75 feet of rope, follow the instructions below. For the smaller version, have students work in pairs or groups of three with about 12 inches of string for the knotted cord. If desired, the equilateral triangles can be formed over a sheet of paper with tape used to hold down the knots. Having students use knotted cords to make right angles in the Maya way ties in with Common Core Standard G.CO.D.12, which recommends making formal geometric constructions with a variety of tools and methods.
The rope or string needs to be “knotted” with eight equally-spaced “knots” which divide the rope or string into seven congruent segments. The “knots” can be actual knots or just “virtual knots” marked on the rope or string. For the video, we used 75 feet of yellow nylon rope with pieces of red tape marking “knots” at ten-foot intervals and with one person assigned to each of the seven knots and others available to help.