Question

A nurse is making identical first aid bags for patients using 72 antiseptic wipes, 55 adhesive bandages, and 36 packets of ointment. What is the greatest number of identical first aid bags the nurse can make with the least amount of items leftover? Describe the contents of each bag.

Answer 1

To make identical first aid bags and maximize the amount, you first have to take the item that you have the least amount of and make that your base amount of bags with one item per bag. Doing that for the nurse gives 36 bags with 1 packet of ointment per bag and 0 left over. Next, you know that you have 72 antiseptic wipes which is double the amount of ointment, so you would put 2 antiseptic wipes in each bag and have 0 left over. Finally, since 55 bandages is not double 35, you would put one bandage in each bag and have 19 bandages left over. In summary, there would be 36 bags, with each having 2 antiseptic wipes, 1 adhesive bandage, and one packet of ointment. There would be 19 adhesive bandages leftover.