I think it's sad that so many people don't know it...
by Anonymous13 years ago
If you understand what a leap year is, it's pretty self explanatory why it happens...
by Anonymous13 years ago
each year = 365 1/4 days
365 1/4 + 365 1/4 + 365 1/4 + 365 1/4 = 1461
every four years those 1/4 days add to an extra day.
365 + 365 + 365 + 366 = 1461
*says the stereotyped American*
by Anonymous13 years ago
was just gonna state that :P
by Anonymous13 years ago
Actually, it's 365 days, 5 hours and 49 minutes.
by Anonymous13 years ago
nice to know :P
by Anonymous13 years ago
*approximately.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Wow. I've learnt something today. :)
by Anonymous13 years ago
*also a stereotyped American*
It's because every year is not exactly 365 days, it's actually 365 1/4 days. Instead of waiting the extra 6 hours to celebrate New Years, we let that 1/4 a day accumulate until it adds an extra day to every fourth year-- thus, leap year.
So if you think about it, if we waited until 6 AM on January 1 to celebrate New Years, we wouldn't have leap years.
by Anonymous13 years ago
*average stereotyped American*
I don't know.
by Anonymous13 years ago
@885820 (Anonymous): I was hoping someone would explain that through comment so I didn't have to log out and go to the link provided.
(I'm on my phone so I can't just open another tab)
by Anonymous13 years ago
The year is also only 365.242... years. Thus, every 100 years there is not a leap year (1900 wasn't), except every 400 years there is one anyways (2000 was).
by Anonymous13 years ago
By understanding what Leap Year is, I meant that you know that it adds an extra day to February.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Fun Fact: Year 2200 and 1800 are not leap years.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Neither is 2011?
by Anonymous13 years ago
They are both divisible by 4, but they aren't leap years!!
by Anonymous13 years ago
Being obnoxious is fun. :D
(Sorry.)
by Anonymous13 years ago
I was kind of upset that I wouldn't have a birthday those years, then I realized I wont be alive.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Wait, you're born on February 29th? Yet you didn't know where a leap year came from?
by Anonymous13 years ago
Yeah, I never really cared enough to find out.
by Anonymous13 years ago
Well, did your elementary school teacher give you a explanation?
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