Leap Year Tidbits and Birthdays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our calendar is described as “messy”, so Leap Years had to be added to keep us more in line with the earth’s rotation.

Leap Years were invented by Julius Cesar right around the time that the first century started.  They added too many leap years, so about 500 years ago the Gregorian calendar fixed us up again.

Leap years are not every 4 years, but have to meet up with this criteria from http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leapyear.html

How do we calculate Leap Years?

In the Gregorian calendar 3 criteria must be met to be a leap year:

• The year is evenly divisible by 4;
• If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year, unless;
• The year is also evenly divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year.

This means that 2000 and 2400 are leap years, while1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 are NOT leap years.

The year 2000 was somewhat special as it was the first instance when the third criterion was used in most parts of the world since the transition from the Julian to theGregorian Calendar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthdays can be confusing or fun for people born on February 29.  My husband’s cousin is an adult, but is going to be 13 today!!  They always have fun saying Happy Birthday to her, and never forget her special day.

 

Resources:

http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leapyear.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17203353

http://enewscourier.com/local/x952196413/Leap-year-birthday-difficult-for-children-and-adults

 

Sally K Witt
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