Question

If the last day of year 1997 was a wednesday then the last day of the year 1996 is

Answer 1

I think Tuesday? I am unsure.

Answer 2

Last day of the year 1996 is tuesday.

Given : The last day of year 1997 was a wednesday.

To find : The last day of 1996.

Solution :

We can simply solve this mathematical problem by using the following mathematical process. (our goal is to determine which day of the week is the last day of 1996)

First of all, we have to determine that whether 1997 was a leap year or not.

Now,

1997 is not divisible by 4 (because, number formed by last two digits or 97 is not divisible by 4). That's why, 1997 is not a leap year.

So,

1997 had 365 days like a normal year.

Which implies,

The last day of 1996 was 365 days before the last day of 1997.

Now,

Same day of week repeats itself after (or, before) a complete week (and, multiple number of complete weeks).

Now,

365 days = 52 weeks 1 day

(As, 1 week = 7 days)

So,

It was 364 days (subtracted leftover 1 day from the group complete weeks occuring in the time period of 365 days) before when the day of week was wednesday as well.

So, the day before (i.e. before 365 days or the last day of 1996) will be obviously tuesday.

Hence, the last day of the year 1996 is tuesday.