[math-fun] When decades start
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000. Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now? Or do they say that the last year of each century is also the first year of a new decade? Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago... Jim Propp
There was no year 0. So the first decade is years 1 thru 10, the first century is years 1 thru 100, and the first millenium is years 1 thru 1000. The first decade of this century/millenium is 2001 thru 2010, and the second decade, which we're still in, is 2011 thru 2020. At least that's my opinion. --ms On 01-Jan-20 12:32, James Propp wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now? Or do they say that the last year of each century is also the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
the whole A.D. dating system didn't come into existence until MUCH later than year zero or one, so actually neither existed at the time; which puts arguments about when decades begin in the realm of fiction anyway. Would yoda defeat superman in a fair fight?
the whole A.D. dating system didn't come into existence until MUCH later than year zero or one, so actually neither existed at the time; which puts arguments about when decades begin in the realm of fiction anyway. Would yoda defeat superman in a fair fight?
On 1 Jan 2020 at 12:32, James Propp wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now?
As logical as that is [given that there's no year zero] . but: Using a modified Julian date, the 2020s will begin on Jan. 1, 2021, Dr. Mac Low said. But that is out of sync with common usage. According to Emily Brewster, a senior editor at Merriam-Webster, a decade in popular culture is not defined by scientific convention. Because of this, the 2020s will begin on Jan. 1, 2020, and end on Dec. 31, 2029, Ms. Brewster said. <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/us/what-is-decade.html> /Bernie\ Or do they say that the last year of each century is also
the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
Bernie Cosell bernie@fantasyfarm.com -- Too many people; too few sheep --
Hadn’t seen that. Thanks! Jim Propp On Wed, Jan 1, 2020 at 1:08 PM Bernie Cosell <bernie@fantasyfarm.com> wrote:
On 1 Jan 2020 at 12:32, James Propp wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now?
As logical as that is [given that there's no year zero] . but:
Using a modified Julian date, the 2020s will begin on Jan. 1, 2021, Dr. Mac Low said.
But that is out of sync with common usage. According to Emily Brewster, a senior editor at Merriam-Webster, a decade in popular culture is not defined by scientific convention. Because of this, the 2020s will begin on Jan. 1, 2020, and end on Dec. 31, 2029, Ms. Brewster said.
<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/us/what-is-decade.html>
/Bernie\ Or do they say that the last year of each century is also
the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
Bernie Cosell bernie@fantasyfarm.com -- Too many people; too few sheep --
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On Wed, Jan 1, 2020 at 10:33 AM James Propp <jamespropp@gmail.com> wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
The first century anno domini (or of the "common era") was the year 1 to the year 100, so the 21st century was the year 1901 to 2000. The 203rd decade would be the years 2021 to 2030. But we don't ever say "the 203rd decade" as a reference to what decade we're in. Instead, we used zero-based indexing for decades. The "1980s" are those years pronounced "Nineteen eighty-(something)", which includes "1980". https://xkcd.com/2249/ -- Mike Stay - metaweta@gmail.com http://math.ucr.edu/~mike https://reperiendi.wordpress.com
What's the problem here? The third decade of the 21st century CE is 2021-2030. The decade called "the 2020s" is 2020-2029. Leo On Wed, Jan 1, 2020 at 9:32 AM James Propp <jamespropp@gmail.com> wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now? Or do they say that the last year of each century is also the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
There is no reason not to declare that the first decade/century/millennium was anomalous and was short one year to make things jibe w/ the common usage that the first year of each following decade/year/millennium is that which ends in 00. Otherwise, if you're being hyper-pedantic, what are you going to do about the skipped days in the changeover from the Julian to Gregorian calendar -- the year that wasn't a full year long? On Wed, Jan 1, 2020, 21:51 Leo Broukhis <leob@mailcom.com> wrote:
What's the problem here?
The third decade of the 21st century CE is 2021-2030. The decade called "the 2020s" is 2020-2029.
Leo
On Wed, Jan 1, 2020 at 9:32 AM James Propp <jamespropp@gmail.com> wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now? Or do they say that the last year of each century is also the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
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Common usage is not consistent. For example, the Twentieth Century is 1901 thru 2000. The 1900s is of course 1900 thru 1999. The first decade of the twentieth century is clearly 2001 thru 2010, while the two-thousand-oughts are 2000 thru 2009. Similarly the Second Millenium is 1001 thru 2000. I'm not sure anyone talks about "the one-thousands". --ms On 02-Jan-20 04:15, William R Somsky wrote:
There is no reason not to declare that the first decade/century/millennium was anomalous and was short one year to make things jibe w/ the common usage that the first year of each following decade/year/millennium is that which ends in 00. Otherwise, if you're being hyper-pedantic, what are you going to do about the skipped days in the changeover from the Julian to Gregorian calendar -- the year that wasn't a full year long?
On Wed, Jan 1, 2020, 21:51 Leo Broukhis <leob@mailcom.com> wrote:
What's the problem here?
The third decade of the 21st century CE is 2021-2030. The decade called "the 2020s" is 2020-2029.
Leo
On Wed, Jan 1, 2020 at 9:32 AM James Propp <jamespropp@gmail.com> wrote:
I’ve heard that, “officially”, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, not January 1, 2000.
Do those officials (whoever they are) also contend that the Aughts (or whatever they’re called) didn’t start until 2001, so that likewise the Teens didn’t start until 2011 and the Twenties won’t start until a year from now? Or do they say that the last year of each century is also the first year of a new decade?
Sorry if I’m resurrecting a thread from ten or twenty years ago...
Jim Propp _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun
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participants (7)
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Bernie Cosell -
Dave Dyer -
James Propp -
Leo Broukhis -
Mike Speciner -
Mike Stay -
William R Somsky