A Conversation for Mnemonics and Other Learning Devices
Number of days in a month
JD Started conversation Aug 21, 2002
I have a particularly bad memory, so anything that helps is good for me. One thing that I was shown was how to remember the number of days in a month, using the knuckles on a fist, it doesn't matter which fist. Here's how to do it:
Make a fist,
Starting with the knuckle at either end, name the months:
January is the prominent knuckle and therefore contains 31 days,
February is the gap between the knuckles and therefore contains 30 days (I know it doesn't contain 30 days, but everybody knows it contains 28 days except in a leap year when it contains 29, so we can gloss over it)
March is the next prominent knuckle and therefore contains 31 days,
April is the next gap between the knuckles and therefore contains 30 days,
May is the next prominent knuckle and therefore contains 31 days,
June is the next gap between the knuckles and therefore contains 30 days,
July is the next prominent knuckle and therefore contains 31 days, now the tricky bit, you stay on the same knuckle for August, because it is the prominent knuckle it contains 31 days,
Now you start working backwards through the knuckles agin
September is the next gap between the knuckles and therefore contains 30 days,
Keep going in the same way until you get to December which will be a prominent knuckle and therefore will contain 31 days.
This is a technique I have used for years, trust me, it's easier to do than type out.
Number of days in a month
turvy (Fetch me my trousers Geoffrey...) Posted Aug 21, 2002
Hi JD Did you look here when you wrote this? http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F91871?thread=203108.
Number of days in a month
JD Posted Aug 21, 2002
No I didn't, I'm a H2G2 virgin so I never gave it a thought.
It was something I learnt at my grandmothers knee many years ago, I didn't realise she had spoken to anybody else about it.
Number of days in a month
turvy (Fetch me my trousers Geoffrey...) Posted Aug 21, 2002
Hi JD
I was an h2g2 virgin myself last week and have almost done the same thing on a number of occasions.
I hope I did not speak out of turn. I have a lot to learn at this game!!
Have a look at smileys at A155909. They make life more fun (and are ok for those who, like me are GuideML challenged!).
Enjoy
turvy 
Number of days in a month
turvy (Fetch me my trousers Geoffrey...) Posted Aug 21, 2002
There, you see
I should have gone to your space and read what Floh had already told you re. Smileys!!
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Number of days in a month
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