Answer: about one in 1,461! Feb. 29 only comes around once every 1,461 days

Questions:

• How does the leap year system work, and why do we have leap years? Discuss the reasons behind adding an extra day to our calendar every four years.
• Considering the odds of being born on February 29th, how does this rarity impact those who have leap day birthdays?
• Think about other life events that happen on rare occasions. Pick an event and discuss how its rarity could affect its perception and value in society.

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use with your students. 

Behind the numbers (PopSugar):

"The chances of a baby being born on Leap Day is pretty slim: about one in 1,461, as Feb. 29 only comes around once every 1,461 days. And if a baby is born during a Leap Year, the chance of their birthday falling on Feb. 29 is a one in 366 chance (but of course, it all completely depends on when the baby was conceived). For everyone else not born on Feb. 29, the odds of them having their specific birth date is one in 365, as all of the other days occur every year!"

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About the Author

Mason Butts

After graduating from UCLA with a Master's in Education, Mason spent 5 years as a science educator in a South Los Angeles public high school. He is committed to supporting the holistic growth of all students and empowering them to live a life of relational, academic, and financial success. Now settled in the Bay Area, Mason enjoys facilitating professional developments and partnering with educators as they prepare students for a bright financial future. When Mason is not building curriculum or planning a training, he can be found cycling, trying new foods, and exploring the outdoors.

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