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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:
Thread gallery
6
Sparklfairy · 30/04/2020 13:45

@Likethebattle ahhh but he always worded it 'how long have we been dating?' or 'how many days since we first met?' So we met on the Sunday I believe. It hadn't been 24 hours (ONE DAY) until the same time on the Monday.

The rent thing I get because as soon as money changes hands you can use the space, and rent is paid in advance anyway.

Stupid argument with a juvenile needy twat anyway Grin

borntobequiet · 30/04/2020 13:45

I teach Functional Maths in FE. Genuine dyscalculia is very rare, but this sort of thinking would indicate to me that it might be a possibility.

tiredanddangerous · 30/04/2020 13:47

Your DH needs to go back to primary school op.

Winterwoollies · 30/04/2020 13:48

Jesus fucking Christ.

FrancisCrawford · 30/04/2020 13:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

vodkaredbullgirl · 30/04/2020 13:49

Im going to be counting elephants, when I look at a clock lol

HollowTalk · 30/04/2020 13:49

Ask him this:

After lockdown you want to go out. You ask your neighbour to babysit. She arrives at 7 pm. She leaves at 9 pm. You're going to pay her £10 per hour. How much would he pay her?

YouokHun · 30/04/2020 13:49

Dyscalculia? Perfectly possible to be perfectly intelligent in all or many other areas.

Beautiful3 · 30/04/2020 13:49

2 hours. What other answer could there be?!

Pinkypie86 · 30/04/2020 13:49

Made my kids properly laugh out loud!!!
I'd agree with him and leave it as that. Bloody hell! I know certain people like to be right, but that's ridiculous.
Good Luck OP!!

MinorArcana · 30/04/2020 13:51

He’s either got some serious problems with maths, or a serious problem with admitting when he’s wrong. Possibly both.

viques · 30/04/2020 13:51

OP! justkeepswimmingdory's post reminds me of teaching small children to use a number line, you have to teach them to put their finger on the first number to cover it before they start counting on(or back) . Maybe there is somewhere a linear clock your OH could use Smile

WaferThinIce · 30/04/2020 13:51

Tbf my answer was that it is impossible to answer because I read your question as how many hours it was closed per day. i was trying to work out hours based on a 9am opening, closing at 5pm and the 2 hours in the middle.....total overthinking on my part Confused

NearlyGranny · 30/04/2020 13:51

Nah, just fid him on the dot of 12 noon (it's neither am or pm at that exact point because the ante and post mean before and after) and start the stopwatch on your phone. Turn it off at 2pm on the dot and show him. Even better is PP's idea of a teaching clock where both hands move proportionately. Get him to move the minute hand and count the complete circuits to 2pm.

His issue may well be not understanding zero...

SliAnCroix · 30/04/2020 13:52

He is stupid but i cannot believe you bothered to debate it!

5foot5 · 30/04/2020 13:52

Has he heard of fence post error and totally misunderstood it?

He is either winding you up or is very, very seriously remedial at maths. Definitely don't let him loose on the home schooling.

Beautiful3 · 30/04/2020 13:55

Please call up the chemist in question tomorrow morning and ask them how long they're closed for over lunch. Put it on loud speaker so your husband can hear it.

PineappleDanish · 30/04/2020 13:55

Ask him whether he spent a lot of time at school and Uni twiddling his thumbs during exams.

Because by his logic a 2 hour exam which starts at 2pm ends at 3pm. Did he not wonder why he wasn't dismissed from the exam hall or why everyone else found they had twice as much time?

I am thinking he is winding you up OP as nobody is genuinely that dim.

EggysMom · 30/04/2020 13:58

Even my DH, who struggles with numbers really badly and is probably undiagnosed with dyscalculia, could tell me that the answer is 2 hours.

EdinburghBelle · 30/04/2020 13:58

This has to be a joke, or he is trying to trick you. No-one is that stupid.

TheSkyWasDark · 30/04/2020 13:59

OK, I think some people need to stop with the "is he stupid" comments because some cognitive issues will make understanding this type of thing difficult and it doesn't mean the person is stupid.

Yes the answer is 2, but I have to stop and work that out in my head. I have a phd in a STEM subject so I wouldn't class myself as particularly stupid, I just have an issue with this area.

Your husband does sound quite stubborn though.

Kazzyhoward · 30/04/2020 14:00

Get him to set a stop watch at 12 noon and watch the minutes until 2pm - the answer will be 120 minutes, 2 hours.

Honeyroar · 30/04/2020 14:01

Tell him to start a stop watch at 12 and turn it off at 2, see how many minutes have passed - win the argument!

GabsAlot · 30/04/2020 14:01

Clearly he has a numbers problem but wont admit it

is he like this working out other sums-they get very defnesive when theyre told theyre wrong

ClaudiaWankleman · 30/04/2020 14:03

I'd ask him to stand outside the shop while it's closed and count the minutes as they pass.