Tim: Mom, 1 century means 100 years. Is that right?
Me: Yes, Tim. 1 century = 100 years.
Tim: So, 21 century...
Me: equals 2100 years.
Tim: Now is 21st century.
Me: Yes, so its 2113.
Tim: No, Mom. It's 2013. So, it should be 20th century. Why is it called 21st century? That's wrong.
Me: (Thinking....). Hm...? Clueless. Hahahaha.
Is it because year 0-100 already counted as the 1st century?
Is it because year 1900ish is considered as 20th century straight away?
I posted this on my facebook and got the following comments:
Michelle Delacorn and Lina Khanti Devi like this.
- After a hundred it counts as one so we are on 2013 so it counted as 21st
- Bernadette Susan Sofjan wkwkwk.... thanks len I learn something as well ... what did you feed timmy, he is darn SMART !!!
- Helen Mulyadi Bernadette Susan Sofjan: haha. I learn something too. I have never even thought of something like that. Never even bother. Hahaha. His questions often gets me speechless. Just feed him the same food that I eat. wkwkwk.I googled up Timmy's question and answered him:
Me: Tim, about your question yesterday, 1st century is from year 0-100.
So 2nd century is from year 101- 200, and so on.
Tim: No Mom. Shouldn't it be until year 99? 1st century from 0-99.
He gets me thinking again, and I had to google up again. Hahaha.
His comment was straight away, right after I explained him.
Here's what I found from Wikipedia:
"Centuries in astronomical year numbering.
Astronomical year numbering, used by astronomers, includes a year zero (0). Consequently, the 1st century in these calendars may designate the years 0 to 99 as the 1st century, years 100 to 199 as the second etc."
Timmy was right! Oh dear...dear...
And actually there is a lot of debate out there about this year numbering thing.
I'm confused right now actually.
If we follow 0-99 as 1st century, 100-199 as 2nd century, etc. Then 21st century is from year 2000-2099.
But Wikipedia also explains that 21st century starts from 1 Jan 2001 - 31 Des 2100.
Which means that 1st century should be 0-100, 2nd century: 101-200, 19th century: 1801-1900, 20th century: 1901-2000, 21st century: 2001-2100.
"The 21st century is the current century of the Anno Domini era or the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. It is the 1st century of the 3rd millennium which began on January 1, 2001, and will end on December 31, 2100."
The Wikipedia answers that 1st century is from year 0-99, and 21st century is from 1 Jan 2001-31 Des 2100, contradicts each other. I'm confused. - Bonaventura Netyastomo likes this.
- Bernadette Susan Sofjan hey, leave it alone, should we ? wkwwkwk, so when are we goin to meet ? u , ifony, and i ?
- June Chan I reckon the 21st century started on 1 jan 2000 (following the reasoning that year 0 is the first century) and thus should therefore end 31st dec 2099. What do u think? Wiki sounds wrong on the 21st century bit.
- Helen Mulyadi Ferry Widjaja: Hahaha. I like the terms Ferrypedia. Haha. The Widjajas can start an interesting discussion there because Bennypedia thinks it's year 0-99. Haha.
