We need to return to truths of how numbers really work

Here we go again! Every time a decade, century or millennium approaches its end and we have a year finishing with a nine, commentators, even academics who should know better, but especially broadcasters eager to please, rush to compile lists of the best this or the worst that in the last decade.

It could be the best Scottish Premiership goal or the most embarrassing miss; it could be the worst train-wreck of a political interview, or it might be the most wonderful natural history video clip. The potential is endless; compiling lists about “the last decade” as we pass it by generates considerable interest, fun and disagreement. I have no wish to be churlish and spoil that fun but I always feel the need to mention that the current decade has not ended, we still have another 367 days (2020 is a leap year) before the decade has ended.

For those that have never considered the question of how long a decade, century or millennium is, let me explain two aspects. Firstly a decade requires ten years to pass, a century requires one hundred years and a millennium one thousand years. This surely is irrefutable, although I am sure some correspondents will seek to try and challenge me on this point.

Taking that argument forward it follows that ten pounds, five hundred pounds and one thousand pounds Sterling is required to have a “Tenner”, a “Monkey” and a “Grand”. Imagine you take out a bundle of pound coins from your pocket and count out ten. You will notice that you start with “one” and you finish with “ten”. You do not start with zero and finish with nine. It really is that simple.

The same process goes for decades, centuries and millennia. We