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Disadvantages of the present 24 hour time
By looking back the human history, man has always tried to make their life easier. This has greatly attributed to the availability of a vast number of inventions. The same "easy life" concept could also be applied to the "new time". With the application of the metric system, the measurements have been made easier which simultaneously developed a standard worldwide, thus providing a coherent system of units. In addition, the SI units also ensure that quantities and units are uniform in concept and style. The usage of 24-hour time period could be due to the historical background of time especially from the Egyptian of 12 hours daytime and was further confirmed through the centuries. The reporting of time in the SI units according to the 24-hour period is also in agreement to show additional information on quantity.
But then, one area, which is worth observing, is the area of time measurement. The current time measurement involves a fraction of 60 (60 seconds for 1 minute and 60 minute for 1 hour). However, this poses a problem for time calculation, which did not occur for other metric measurements. This is due to the fractions used was in 10s which made it easier for conversion when referring to a higher unit in the same category of measurements. An example for this explanation is for 1 decimeters is equivalent to 10 centimeters. In fact, it would be just plain saying without having much use of thought for any laymen! However, sad to say, further conversion problems do arise when converting of time which involved some tedious calculations, as for example changing from let say km/hour to km/minute (refer to the calculation below).
Problem:
A car travels at 60 km/hr. What is the velocity of the car in km/min? How could the new time concept solve this problem?
Solution:
For the present time calculation:
For the new time calculation:
1 new hour (NH) = 2.4 hr
1 new hour (NH) = 10 new minutes (NM)
1 new minute (NM) = 14.4 min
Therefore,
(It must first be noted that the conversion of the present unit to the new time unit is essential as the problem was addressed in the present unit of time!)
(Shifting the decimal point 1 digit to the left from the previous position could carry out the conversion.)
Converting back to the present time unit:
(The solution obtained is the same as in the previous calculation involving the current 24-hour period.)
With this in mind, we may not expect any laymen to be able to do this type of conversion. We must also be honest on the fact that not many people out there are carrying a calculator of some sort with them! In addition, if everybody were to have a calculator with him or her and start time conversion, then all of us would look weird tugging ourselves under the tree or at a corner of a fast-food outlet, especially dealing with this type of topic. The good news is this type problem could be easily solved with our human computer with the introduction of a "new time" concept.
Currently, the time is being told in either a.m. or p.m. in order for laymen to know the period of the day (that is whether morning or night). For military and aeronautical purposes, time is being informed on the 24-hour basis. It just couldn't be imagined if this type of time presentation were to be applied by the laymen, that is as if the whole streets is full of army personals, pilots et cetera. Perhaps, the world needs a change when coming to talking about a.m. and p.m. The current concept of a.m., which starts at 12:00 midnight, is as if we would be looking for the sun as it is spoken 12:00 in the "morning". Well, the cockerel didn't flap his wings at this time and thus the concept of "morning" is not so appropriate after all!
Currently, 360 degrees represent the current 24-hour clock, which means for every 15 degrees it represents 1 hour. As we look around us today, the world is involved in a mad race with the speed of transportation has exploded tremendously in the last century. For thousand of years before the beginning of this century, travelling has been mostly restricted to horses. However, hundreds of millions of people travel everyday in automobiles, ships and planes, which brings the world closer now. With the current 24-hour world time zone, this would somehow confuse the traveler if he or she were travelling more than the 15 degrees coverage. This is demonstrated that the person would somehow experience a short period of travelling for as long distance, which is somehow unrealistic. Perhaps, a "new time" concept could somehow reduce this unrealistic event in the future!
Psychological, the present 24-hour seems to give a person would think
that there is a lot of time to spent and thus many things he or she could
do, without realizing he or she is trying to be self-pressurized. In addition,
one may also not take lightly that the necessity of making an appointment
after all it is just a few minutes late. However for the person waiting,
the few minutes of lateness could turn the atmosphere from a charming face
into a beast because of those few unproductive late minutes.
This article was prepared by: Ling Lay Pee & Simon Looi.
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