help settling a disagreement....

[FTWWTF]

Is midnight considered 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. I say its 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. is noon. My friend thinks the opposite. Who is right and who is wrong.

 

[superstar_88]

correct your grammar and I might just help you.

 

[Cardinal Fang]

Midnight is 12:00am

11:59pm is one minute before therefore 12:00 has to be AM.

 

[twir]

There is no 12AM. it is 00AM for midnight

12 PM is noon (day light)

so you are both wrong

 

[gcostanza]

Is midnight considered 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. I say its 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. is noon. My friend thinks the opposite. Who is right and who is wrong.

You are correct.

 

[destillat]

There is no 12AM. it is 00AM for midnight

12 PM is noon (day light)

so you are both wrong

In military time... not civilian time.

 

[Mr Bret]

Another supporting voice for 12 am being midnight and 12 pm being noon.
And just in case there's still any doubt, here's something you can reference.

http://www.timeanddate.com/time/am-and-pm.html

 

[Cardinal Fang]

Interesting read on this topic.

http://www.simplecodeworks.com/IQ/midnight.html

 

[danmand]

For crissakes, use a 24 hour clock like civilized people do.

 

[peter4025]

12am is 24:00 hour

 

[Why Not?]

12am is 24:00 hour

No it isn't. There is no am or pm with 24 hour time. Midnight is usually called "twenty four hundred hours" and noon is "twelve hundred hours".

 

[DanJ]

I was taught, probably or possibly incorrectly, that noon and midnight were neither am or pm, they were 12 noon and 12 midnight. I've also noticed my watch when set to 24 hour time, will go 23:59:59 to 24:00:00 to 0:00:01, indicating midnight as the end of the day, and one second past midnight as the start of the new day.

 

[Aardvark154]

So much easier to use Midnight and Noon.

 

[peter4025]

No it isn't. There is no am or pm with 24 hour time. Midnight is usually called "twenty four hundred hours" and noon is "twelve hundred hours".

You are wrong. 24 hundred hours is based on military time. 24 hours is the civilian time that most of the world uses

I'm not wrong 12 AM = 24:00 hrs or 24 hundred in the army

 

[Why Not?]

You are wrong. 24 hundred hours is based on military time. 24 hours is the civilian time that most of the world uses

I'm not wrong 12 AM = 24:00 hrs or 24 hundred in the army

I am well aware what most of the world uses. I have worked extensively overseas for the last 20 years. I have never seen anyone there use am or pm. They just say a number up to 24. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24-hour_clock

 

[IM469]

I am well aware what most of the world uses. I have worked extensively overseas for the last 20 years. I have never seen anyone there use am or pm. They just say a number up to 24. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24-hour_clock

Strange. I've work in many countries particularly Asia and outside of business (i.e. personal conversation) - I cannot ever remember anyone telling me that we will meet for dinner at 18:00 instead of 6 oclock. It could be that they only use the time showing on their wrist watch when speaking English.

 

[Mr Bret]

Our neighbours to the east in Québec use the 24 hour system for the most part.

 

[NorthernBear]

You are wrong. 24 hundred hours is based on military time. 24 hours is the civilian time that most of the world uses

I'm not wrong 12 AM = 24:00 hrs or 24 hundred in the army

In military time there is no colon. It is 2400 hours, not 24:00 hours

 

[Ridgeman08]

Really? 18 posts to argue something as trivial as am or pm?

You guys will argue ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

 

[oldjones]

I was taught, probably or possibly incorrectly, that noon and midnight were neither am or pm, they were 12 noon and 12 midnight. I've also noticed my watch when set to 24 hour time, will go 23:59:59 to 24:00:00 to 0:00:01, indicating midnight as the end of the day, and one second past midnight as the start of the new day.

Yup. This is rather like the arguments about when the last millennium ended and this one began. Counting begins with the number one, not zero, but whenever clarity is at risk you add information, if you're smart.

The OP wouldn't be asking if AM/PM was sufficient clarification, but in this Cyber Age it may be what our machine masters demand. For practical people purposes, 'midnight', 'noon' and the twenty-four hour system are quicker and error-free.