Determining whether a year is a leap year involves a few simple rules based on the calendar system we use. A leap year has 366 days instead of the usual 365, with the extra day added to February, making it 29 days long instead of 28. Here’s how to tell if a year is a leap year:
- Check if the year is divisible by 4: Start by dividing the year by 4. If it results in a whole number (meaning there is no remainder), then the year is a candidate for being a leap year.
- Check if the year is divisible by 100: Next, if the year is divisible by 4, check if it is divisible by 100 as well. If it is, then the year cannot be a leap year unless the next rule applies.
- Check if the year is divisible by 400: Finally, if the year is divisible by 100, you must check if it is also divisible by 400. If it is, then it is a leap year; if not, it is not a leap year.
To summarize:
- A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4.
- However, if it is divisible by 100, it must also be divisible by 400 to be considered a leap year.
Example:
For the year 2000:
– 2000 ÷ 4 = 500 (yes, divisible by 4)
– 2000 ÷ 100 = 20 (yes, divisible by 100)
– 2000 ÷ 400 = 5 (yes, divisible by 400)
Thus, 2000 is a leap year.
For the year 1900:
– 1900 ÷ 4 = 475 (yes, divisible by 4)
– 1900 ÷ 100 = 19 (yes, divisible by 100)
– 1900 ÷ 400 = 4.75 (no, not divisible by 400)
Therefore, 1900 is not a leap year.
Using these rules, you can easily determine whether any given year is a leap year!