>Ed Lipinski wrote: >Taking the dates, 1999, 2500, and 450 BC doesn't compute, I should think. Well, you did something that LOTS of folx do...you forgot how this "calendar" thing all came about. BC (in the relative term) is typically understood to me "Before Christ", while AD is typically considered to mean "After Death". Now...if you look at this "word" problem, you *should* notice an interesting fact. It's a 'before and after' problem...but what about the "during"? If you agree that Christ was alive, then he had to spend some time on the planet. I haven't found any specific reference stating the exact number of years that he was alive, but it's been calculated (by many, who I can not quote, since I don't subscribe to their ways of thinking) that he lived anywhere from 35 years, to 55 years of age. If this is the case, then the "missing" years that you are looking for could probably be "found" in this area. In other words, if you are trying to calculate the number of years between "now" and some time in the BC-era, then you have to not only include the number of years from AD to now and the number of years from BC to then, but also the number of years that Christ was supposed to have lived. Instead of two numbers, you need to use three. Another, simpler method, would be to just calculate the number of years from current, to past...like you did, where you subtract 2,500 from the date of 1998, then call the answer *From Present Date"...or something like that. In other words, do away with the AD and BC portions, and just use the raw math. Todd and the (Gimme that calculator! MINE!) Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns! --- [log in to unmask] "users.success.net/toddl/" [Posted in FML issue 2576]