24 hour clock

[derrynoose]

A friend has just been issued a cover note which expires at 00.00 on 5th October. Is that midnight on 4th or midnight on the 5th? Thanks.

[Buenchico]

The usual convention is that 00:00 refers to the start of a day, whereas 24:00 refers to the end of that day. So, according to that convention, it's midnight on the 4th.

Chris

[derrynoose]

Thanks Chris. That is what I had thought, but my friend is reluctant to agree. I have advised her that she check with her insurers.

[boxtops]

I agree with Chris - 0001 is the start of the 5th, so 0000 is the end of 4th Oct.

[wildwood]

I feel the need to disagree with Chris (the first time?). If 24:00 refers to the end of the day then 00:00 must be the start of the next day, so the 5th.

[sir.prize]

This seems the likely outcome.

23.59 is the final minute of the day and 00.00 is the starting 60 seconds of the new day. For example New Year's Eve counts down the final 10seconds of 11.59pm. When it reaches 00.00 it a new day and new year.

[rov1100]

The fact that the cover note says the 5th would imply to me that day would be included in the cover

[factor-fiction]

I'm sure it ends at midnight at the end of the 4th November. which is the same thing as 00.00 on 5th October.
It would be clearer if it was shown as ending at 23.59 (and maybe 59 seconds) on 4th Oct, but maybe they want cover to run for exactly a year and it started at 00.00 on 5th October 2010

[THECORBYLOON]

If 00:00 is the start and 24:00 is the end, does that not mean it must be 00:00 AND 24:00 at the same time? Otherwise as soon as it shows 24:00, it would tick over to 00:00, time will have passed but not according to the display. I'm sure most would have put 23:59 to avoid any confusion.

[sir.prize]

A cover note is only temporary - the vital document is the certificate of insurance.

[THECORBYLOON]

The point at issue is the time, no doubt the certificate of insurance will also show a similar end time even if the date is next year.

[THECORBYLOON]

With regards to the time in terms of hours and minutes, what comes between 23:59 and 00:01?

[wildwood]

I seem to remember this coming up at the last new millennium too.

[spudqueen]

factor30 - I'm struggling here to work out how midnight on 4th November is the same as 00.00 on 5th October. I'm pretty sure there's a months difference there! lol

Anyway, why not just contact the insurance company to find out for definite.

[IggyB]

its midnight on the 4th

[THECORBYLOON]

So what comes between 23:59 and 00:01???????

[glesga123]

The correct answer is Midnight on the 5th.