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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not be able to agree on this 'simple' question

321 replies

pooopypants · 30/04/2020 13:07

Please help me answer, to DH, what has been an ongoing discussion for at least 4 weeks:

A shop closes at 12pm (midday) and reopens at 2pm the same day. 12pm on the dot, 2pm on the dot. How long is the shop closed for, in hours?

There's no riddle behind it, nothing to bend time, stop clocks etc etc

It's also not a trick question, we just can't agree and I can't find another way to explain this

OP posts:
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6
Voxx · 30/04/2020 13:32

My 8 year old looked like —-> Hmm this when I asked her and said ‘2 hours mummy’ with an air of great patience. This is very, very basic maths. It’s rather alarming that there are adults walking around who are not functionally numerate.

AliceTeale · 30/04/2020 13:33

Is he a little bit simple?

Mullikins · 30/04/2020 13:34

Try linking it to the 24 hour clock. Ask him what 12 + 2 is. If he says anything other than 14 then he's a lost cause I'm afraid.

Etinox · 30/04/2020 13:34

Could you sit down with him at midday and set an alarm for 2 hours time and then get him to check the time?

PineappleDanish · 30/04/2020 13:34

Of course it's two hours. Is he a bit thick? I hope he's not in charge of calculating anyone's pay based on how many hours they've worked.

Likethebattle · 30/04/2020 13:35

@Sparklfairy he might have been right, rents are charged in an inclusive days rate so 1-7 of the month is not 6 days it’s 7 as you include all the days....makes my brain hurt any anyway

Ninkanink · 30/04/2020 13:35

Uhm...

Does he also struggle with age e.g. the fact that the minute you turn 21 you are, in fact, starting your 22nd year of life?

I’m inclined to think he got confused to begin with and then realised full well that he was wrong but he just can’t bear to admit it so he’s been arguing with you for weeks hoping he’ll confuse you enough that you’ll think he might actually be right.

PorpentiaScamander · 30/04/2020 13:35

I will agree that your DH is right if he agrees to employ me as something easy on an hourly wage so I can earn an extra hours pay every day Grin

SchadenfreudePersonified · 30/04/2020 13:36

It came about because our chemist closed (lockdown stuff) between 12 & 2. DH said it was closed for 3 hours. I said 2.

Ah!

That puts a totally different complexion on things.

Three hours. It is closed for three hours.

Because men are never wrong.

motorcyclenumptiness · 30/04/2020 13:36

He's probably posting on another site about winding up both you and MN

90bisodol · 30/04/2020 13:36

Thinking about it, I recall a similar argument with a friend, years ago, about days/dates. Say for example it was 20th December, I'd say that was 5 days to Christmas. She'd say no it was 6, and count 20-21-22-23-24-25!
Or on a Tuesday if I'd say 4 days till a night out on Saturday, she'd count Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 5 days!!
It sounds like your DH is doing the same thing. Counting the closure as 12 o'clock, one o'clock and two o'clock! You need to sit him down with a stopwatch Grin

YetAnotherSpartacus · 30/04/2020 13:36

Time to make a REALLY BIG bet OP.

TwistyHair · 30/04/2020 13:37

Can we see the diagram? What does he think 12-1 is? Or 12-2.30? And if you said to him, as you left the house at 12pm, ‘I’ll be two hours.’ What time would he think you were coming back?

vodkaredbullgirl · 30/04/2020 13:37

What is he like normally, before this hours shit Smile

titchy · 30/04/2020 13:37

Bet he knows when he's due back at his desk after his one hour lunch break though.... or does he run out of the office at 1pm, come back at 2pm and think he's had a two hour lunch...?

Knittedfairies · 30/04/2020 13:41

So is a child celebrating 2 years since birth actually 3?
(Birth i.e. 0 to 1year to 2 years)

PineappleDanish · 30/04/2020 13:42

Does he accept that the time the shop is closed is 120 minutes? So he also thinks that an hour is 40 minutes?

Agree with him sending back his degree certificate as he really did get that under false pretences.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 30/04/2020 13:42

Maths is a bit of a struggle sometimes.

Maths isn't my best subject, but Christ on a bike I can tell the time.

Redlocks28 · 30/04/2020 13:42

Does he struggle with adding prices of items in shops? Counting on when playing Snakes and Ladders?!

I would struggle to have much respect for someone who argued persistently that 1+1=3.

Is he Baldrick?

SerenDippitty · 30/04/2020 13:44

is he thinking of it like dates? e,g 13-17 April inclusive is 5 days. even though 13 + 5 is 18.

HaudMaDug · 30/04/2020 13:44

Is your DH Joey Essex? Grin Can he only read a digital watch?

DadDadDad · 30/04/2020 13:44

Please ask your DH, if he met the chemist locking up at 12, and the chemist said "we're closed for 1 hour" when would he return? if the chemist said "we're closed for 2 hours" when would he return? if the chemist said "we're closed for 3 hours" when would he return?

viques · 30/04/2020 13:44

curiousaboutsamphire

Now stop it. You know elephants are only to be used to count seconds.

One elephant

Two elephants

Three elephants....

If you start using them to count hours we will all be back to blowing dandelion seed heads and turning up late for work.

Ninkanink · 30/04/2020 13:45

No a child celebrating their 2nd birthday is 2 years old, but their 3rd year starts on that day. Some people have a very hard time understanding that.

thequeenbeyondthewall · 30/04/2020 13:45

Alexa usually solves things like this we can't agree on