Why is 12PM noon?

[Tizeye]

Did someone not learn to count?

10AM, 11AM ...12PM????....1PM, 2PM...

That’s a big jump from 12 to 1 beginning the number sequence back up to 11.

Found out hard way. Found out the hard way as had Avis preferred pickup at noon only to discover when the gate guard couldn’t find my reservation which was technically set for midnight, 12 hours earlier. After research, retrieved the ‘missed’ reservation. Only corrected the pickup and noticed return was still midnight. Cost me $10 to correct the reservation for noon return. To Avis credit, their website specifies noon an midnight, but USAA site shows hours then choose am/pm.

[Longjohn ★]

That’s why military doesn’t use it.

[Kzoo]

16 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

That’s why military doesn’t use it.

And what do you know about the military.  Weren't you one of those draft dodging hippies? 

(at least that's the rumor I'm starting)

[Green Grass]

In my opinion, referring to 12:00 as either AM or PM is stupid.  Because, by definition,  it is never either of those.  It is either noon or mid-night.  

[parodybot]

40 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

That’s why military doesn’t use it.

He was not renting a tank.

[Tizeye]

52 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

That’s why military doesn’t use it.

And the irony is that the USAA, required military for eligibility, doesn't use the 24 hour clock but the worst alternative...dropdown with hour then separate drop down to choose am/pm.  Guess their computer programers were not former military.

[maddmaxx ★]

Because it's really 00:00.  The concept of 12 noon coming after 11 is what's at fault, not the other way around.

It is a beginning, not an end.  At least that's true for those of you wedded to the 12 hour clock.

[JerrySTL ★]

Without it you couldn't have a nooner.

[MickinMD ★]

Good Question.

P.M. stands for "Post Meridiem" which literally means "After mid-day."

A.M. stands for "Ante Meridiem" which literally means "Before mid-day."

By those definitions, Noon and Midnight shouldn't be PM or AM and a quick Google indicate that, before modern times, they were not referred to as PM or AM.

If you consult the brains on Quora (https://www.quora.com/Is-noon-12-am-or-12-pm) most argue noon and midnight are STILL not PM or AM.

However, the designations of PM for Noon and AM for Midnight make sense for the digital simplicity of calling everything "PM" or "AM" (otherwise you need a third option - nothing - to appear on your digital clock for 2 seconds of each day) when you consider the "Noon Hour" begins at 12 and 12:00:01, 12:01, 12:02, etc. are clearly PM. So it would be confusing for every second of that hour to be PM except for 12:00:00.  The same logic applies to midnight.

Having the same number for different hours in the day makes little sense to most of us scientists - the military 24 hour clock should be standard.  It's basically as silly as America's industries remaining tremendously handicapped by the inefficient and antiquated foot, pound, gallon system we use while even the British use the Metric System. And if you find an old British  In America, our mechanics, repairmen, etc. need two sets of tools!  When I see a recipe in grams and milliliters I feel right at home after a career in chemistry. Of course, I have to do the conversion in my head because my kitchen is stocked with tablespoon (15 ml), cup (237 ml), etc. measuring devices.  On occasion, a friend or relative will say something like, "I just ordered a big 20 centimeter cutting board," and I reply, "You realize 20 cm. is only 8 inches, right?"  If we get in tune with how the rest of the world measures stuff we'll be a happier place!

[Longjohn ★]

2 hours ago, Kzoo said:

And what do you know about the military.  Weren't you one of those draft dodging hippies? 

(at least that's the rumor I'm starting)

My dad fought in WW2, brother in Vietnam, son in Iraq and Afghanistan, I learned military time by default. Also we used it on our timesheets at work.

[Kzoo]

4 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

My dad fought in WW2, brother in Vietnam, son in Iraq and Afghanistan, I learned military time by default. Also we used it on our timesheets at work.

Ahhhhh... Osmosis. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

When I have to time anything for midnight while at work, I'll order it as 12:01 am for clarity. 

[Longjohn ★]

We all need to go to metric time. It would make things so much easier.

 

 

[Prophet Zacharia]

Just now, Longjohn said:

We all need to go to metric time. It would make things so much easier.

 

 

At least it would go faster.

[maddmaxx ★]

44 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

Ahhhhh... Osmosis. 

You don't use Zulu time.  ?

[Longjohn ★]

20 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

At least it would go faster.

Of course if we go to metric time we have to also go to the metric calendar.