Final answer:
Based on the research team's estimates, it would take approximately 4.86 days to build the pyramid with 10,000 laborers. This is significantly shorter than the historical records which state that it took 20,000 workers working for 20 years. The research team suggested the use of 10,000 laborers because they estimated higher efficiency and productivity of the laborers.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Long Would it Take to Build the Pyramid?
The research team estimated that conditions would allow for placing one stone every 2.5 minutes and that the project could have been completed by 10,000 laborers. The pyramid workers labored for 12 hours per day, 365 days per year. To calculate the time it would take to build the pyramid, we can use the following steps:
- Calculate the total number of stones needed for the pyramid:
- Total stones = mass of the pyramid / mass of each stone = 7 x 10^9 kg / 2.5 tons = 7 x 10^9 / 5 x 10^3 = 1.4 x 10^6 stones
- Calculate the number of stones that can be placed in a day:
- Stones placed per day = 10,000 laborers x 1 stone per 2.5 minutes x 60 minutes x 12 hours = 288,000 stones
- Calculate the number of days needed to complete the pyramid:
- Days needed = Total stones / Stones placed per day = 1.4 x 10^6 stones / 288,000 stones = 4.86 days
Comparison to Historical Records
Historians estimate that it took 20,000 workers working for 20 years to build the pyramid. The research team suggested that the pyramid could have been completed by 10,000 laborers because they estimated that conditions would allow for placing one stone every 2.5 minutes. This means that their estimate was based on a higher efficiency and productivity of the laborers compared to the historical records.