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bigtree

(85,996 posts)
Fri Dec 2, 2022, 08:57 PM Dec 2022

Physics teacher asked how many seconds were in a year...

Rohita Kadambi @RohitaKadambi
In high school, my physics teacher asked me to figure out how many seconds were in a year. I solved it by multiplying 525,600 by 60 to which my teacher responded “why is that something you know off the top of your head?”
12:46 AM · Dec 2, 2022



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Physics teacher asked how many seconds were in a year... (Original Post) bigtree Dec 2022 OP
That's leaving out leap years and other calendar mess. hunter Dec 2022 #1
Even that calculation has a margin of error of a few seconds TexasTowelie Dec 2022 #3
Careless me! hunter Dec 2022 #4
Alternatively, there are twelve Alpeduez21 Dec 2022 #2
So you were the kid in every class who took wnylib Dec 2022 #6
The principle and I were on very familiar terms n/t Alpeduez21 Dec 2022 #8
I just figured out what that song is about! Baitball Blogger Dec 2022 #5
...chicken dinner! bigtree Dec 2022 #9
I Don't Even Multiply ProfessorGAC Dec 2022 #7
or....You might remember this rendition? just divide by 4 years NowsTheTime Dec 2022 #10

hunter

(38,311 posts)
1. That's leaving out leap years and other calendar mess.
Fri Dec 2, 2022, 09:26 PM
Dec 2022


(365.2422 day / year) X (24 hours / days) X (60 minute / hour) X (60 second / minute) = 31,556,926

525,600 X 60 = 31,536,000

which is a little short

https://pumas.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/examples/04_21_97_1.pdf

TexasTowelie

(112,167 posts)
3. Even that calculation has a margin of error of a few seconds
Fri Dec 2, 2022, 09:38 PM
Dec 2022

since only seven significant digits were provided for the length of a year, while the answer has eight digits. Upon consideration of that approximation the answer could just as easily be stated as 31,556,930 plus or minus five seconds. We need the length of the year to be defined to eight significant digits to get an answer accurate to plus or minus 0.5 seconds.

wnylib

(21,447 posts)
6. So you were the kid in every class who took
Fri Dec 2, 2022, 11:39 PM
Dec 2022

short cuts marching to a different beat.

The one that kids thought was cool
but teachers, not so much.

ProfessorGAC

(65,013 posts)
7. I Don't Even Multiply
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 08:37 AM
Dec 2022

For whatever reason, I just know there are 31,536,000 seconds in a year, and 31,622,400 in a leap year.
Not sure why those are stuck in my head.

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