Question: An anthropologist divides 48 pottery shards and 60 tools into identical gift baskets. What is the greatest number of baskets she can make?

Wed, 06 May 2026 20:51:51 +0000

**How Anthropologists Divide Artifacts into Gift Baskets—And What It Reveals About Resource Planning** Who wouldn’t wonder how archaeologists or anthropologists organize scattered relics into meaningful groups? Today, a fascinating question surfaces: An anthropologist divides 48 pottery shards and 60 tools into identical gift baskets. What’s the greatest number of baskets she can create? Beyond the surface, this simple problem reveals principles in collaborative design, mathematical precision, and strategic planning—found in both ancient practice and modern logistics. **Why This Question Is Rising in US Discussions**
Across digital markets, audiences crave practical problem-solving regular expressed in clean, educational stories. With growing interest in DIY curation, sustainable gifting, and cultural storytelling, the query taps into curiosity about how limited resources become intentional collections. It aligns with trends in mindful consumption and artifact-based education—making it ripe for visibility in platforms like Discover, where users seek know-how with quiet authority. **How 48 Shards and 60 Tools Can Be Grouped Equally**
The core task uses symmetry and division—key principles in anthropology and inventory management. The goal: divide 48 shards and 60 tools into the maximum number of identical baskets without leftover items. The answer lies in finding the greatest common divisor (GCD)—a concept familiar in math but rarely discussed in cultural practice. The GCD of 48 and 60 is 12, meaning she can make 12 baskets, each containing 4 shards and 5 tools.