def staircase(num_steps):
    """Given an integer number of num_steps, return a right aligned staircase
    of those characters.

    Parameters:
    num_steps(int): a value representing the number of steps there are in
                   the staircase. This will also be the same as the number
                   of num_steps symbols on the last step (the line printed
                   last to standard output).

    Returns:
    None

    """
    # initialize a count of symbols to print on each step of the staircase
    quota = 1
    # build the string representing each step of the staircase
    for i in range(num_steps):
        line = ""
        for j in range(num_steps):
            # print spaces until it is time to add # to the output line
            if num_steps - j <= quota:
                line += "#"
            else:
                line += " "
        # display the output
        print(line)
        # increment the number of symbols needed for the next iteration
        quota += 1
    return None