• prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    10 hours ago

    I prefer “stopped clock,” since broken clocks can often continue ticking, albeit at the wrong speed.

    • TheOakTree@lemm.ee
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      4 hours ago

      A broken clock, whether it ticks too fast or too slow, is still right at least once every 24 hours, I think.

      The only exception would be one that ticks correctly but is not set to the right time (does this count as broken?)

      • Chip_Rat@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        If it ticks faster than time than it would be right more than once (24hr time) a day, the faster it ticks the more times it will incidentally be correct (perhaps there is an allegory here…)

        A clock that ticks slower than time would be right less than once a day, but it can never…

        I feel like I need a simulator to understand this relationship actually…

        • TheOakTree@lemm.ee
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          2 hours ago

          I was thinking of analog 12hr clock with no distinction between AM and PM

          I wonder if your 24hr clock example would be more intuitive as frequencies and phases?

          • Chip_Rat@lemmy.world
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            49 minutes ago

            I was also visualizing the round analogue clock face, but didn’t want to muddy the water by saying “twice” when I guess it’s technically only once, just no am/pm delineation.

            I am puzzling over this at work now. I guess a fast clock could be right almost infinite times a day if it ran fast enough, but a slow clock can only be as slow as a whisper faster than stopped, which would mean it could be right alllllllllllllmost twice a day, but never twice a day.