Numbers in the News: Happy Leap Year!

This February has 29, instead of 28, days—a quirk of the calendar that happens every four years.

February 17, 2020

365.24 vs. 365

The average number of days it takes Earth to orbit the sun vs. days in a typical calendar year. Because of the slight difference, a leap day is added every four years to sync calendar seasons with actual ones.

46 B.C.

The year Roman emperor Julius Caesar added the first leap day to the calendar.

1 IN 1,461

The odds of being born on February 29.

1 IN 365

The odds of being born on a non-leap date.

Illustration of a voting campaign button

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Presidential election years always conincide with a leap year.

THINK ABOUT IT: What do you think would happen if there were no leap year? How might a mismatch between seasons and calendars affect things like school schedules or holidays?

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Numbers in the News: The Flu and You

Flu season is here. Here are some facts that could help you avoid getting sick.

Numbers in the News: The Periodic Table

Check out some fun stats about the periodic table in honor of its 150th anniversary.

Numbers in the News: Food Waste and You

A lot of the food prepared for Thanksgiving goes uneaten. Here are some facts about food waste.

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