An archaeologist finds a stone calendar with a repeating cycle of 17 days followed by 23 days, forming a 40-day ritual cycle. After how many days will the cycle align with both original start and end points (i.e., complete full cycles)?

Sun, 03 May 2026 04:25:04 +0000

**Discover the Secret Behind Ancient Timing: When the 17-Day and 23-Day Cycles Converge** What keeps ancient cultures grounded in ritual—and why modern curiosity is finally uncovering its math? An archaeologist uncovers a stone calendar featuring a repeating 40-day cycle: 17 days followed by 23 days. This rhythm—central to a long-vanished community’s spiritual life—raises a precise question: After how many days will the cycle realign with its starting moment? The answer lies in the least common multiple, or LCM, of 17 and 23. Since both numbers are prime, their smallest shared multiple is simply their product: 17 × 23 = 391. This isn’t just an abstract calculation—it reveals how early societies may have synchronized lunar, solar, and ceremonial rhythms. **Why This Crossroads of Time Matters in the US and Beyond**