In a classroom, Mateo believes that his misplaced lunchbox is in his locker, but Raj has accidentally taken it thinking it was his own. Later, without realizing the mix-up, Raj gave the lunchbox to Anika because she forgot hers. Anika now left the classroom for lunch, leaving her backpack behind. If Mateo asks Parvati if she has seen his lunchbox, unaware of these events, and Parvati only saw Anika with the lunchbox, how should Parvati respond regarding the location of Mateo's lunchbox? Provide a brief response.
Parvati should tell Mateo that she saw Anika with a lunchbox that could be his, as she did not witness the mix-up between Mateo, Raj, and Anika. She should also inform Mateo that Anika has left the classroom for lunch. Parvati does not have the full context of Raj having taken the lunchbox by mistake, nor does she know that it was originally Mateo's; she merely saw Anika in possession of a lunchbox. Therefore, Parvati's best course of action would be to direct Mateo to speak with Anika. She is correct in doing so based on the information available to her, which is her observation of Anika with a lunchbox. Parvati's guidance is based on the most recent information she has on the whereabouts of a lunchbox, which is possibly Mateo's. Since she did not see where Anika obtained the lunchbox from, she cannot with certainty assert it is Mateo's lunchbox, but suggests this possibility based on her observation.