This Monday is Leap Day, a day celebrated every four years by leaping up and down in an attempt to cause earthquakes. Like Mothers' Day, it was a holiday invented by the powerful greeting card lobby in collaboration with the USGS who likes to watch people jump up and down trying to cause earthquakes.
OK, none of that is true. Well, the only thing that is true is that Monday is Leap Day. Ready for your Leap Day themed puzzle? Hop to it!
This coming Leap Day, on February 29, 2016, a bouncing baby boy named Damon will be born. Because Damon will find it amusing, he will decide to celebrate his birthday only on Leap Days, so his 1st birthday will be February 29, 2020, his 2nd birthday will be February 29, 2024. Which birthday will Damon celebrate 100 years from his birth on February 29, 2116?
Note: It's a bit trickier than you might think :)
Ready for the answer?
Like the hint suggested, this is a bit tricky. The obvious way of doing it is to divide the 100 years by 4 and Damon will be celebrating his 25th birthday. Close, but not quite.
As it turns out, 2100 is not a Leap Year (and so does not have Leap Day). Leap Years are years that are divisible by 4 except if it's divisible by 100; then it's a Leap Year if it's divisible by 400. For example, 1800, 1900 and 2100 are not Leap Years, but 2000 is. Remember Leap Years are our attempt to get our calendar in line with the sun; in brief, the math doesn't work out exactly right. You can find out more.
That little wrinkle of calendaring and astronomy leads Damon celebrating his 24th birthday on February 29, 2116.
As it turns out, 2100 is not a Leap Year (and so does not have Leap Day). Leap Years are years that are divisible by 4 except if it's divisible by 100; then it's a Leap Year if it's divisible by 400. For example, 1800, 1900 and 2100 are not Leap Years, but 2000 is. Remember Leap Years are our attempt to get our calendar in line with the sun; in brief, the math doesn't work out exactly right. You can find out more.
That little wrinkle of calendaring and astronomy leads Damon celebrating his 24th birthday on February 29, 2116.
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