Maths test, courtes...
 

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Maths test, courtesy of Premier Inn

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Read and complete the following sentence:

Semi-Flex rate room bookings may be cancelled before midnight UK time three days prior to the original arrival date, (e.g. For a stay arriving on Saturday, you can cancel until....


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:25 pm
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Tuesday midnight


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:27 pm
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Tuesday midnight

This.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:34 pm
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Wednesday?

Friday would be midnight the day prior
2 days prior is Thursday
3 Days prior is Wednesday?

But then we're always having arguments in our house as "next Saturday" is clearly in 3 days time, the next Saturday. But my OH will argue it's 10 days off (which is clearly Saturday next week).


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:35 pm
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Think its more a when is midnight question (is midnight tuesday in a few hours or has it been and gone?) and also fencepost question.
I would go with them defining it as the start of the day and so the last time being:
Tuesday 23:59:59


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:37 pm
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Your OH is right, 3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday. But hey, let's not argue, it's probably a regional thing like scones and bread rolls.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:39 pm
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2359 (and 59s) Tuesday

1 day prior to arrival = Fri
3 days prior to arrival = Wed
Midnight (0000) is the start of the new day, so before midnight is the end of Tuesday


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:41 pm
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3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday.

Is the correct answer


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:46 pm
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3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday.

Is the correct answer

+ another!


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:49 pm
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3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday.

Is the correct answer

yep, that's my understanding too


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:53 pm
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Tuesday midnight would be my answer.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:56 pm
 kcal
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they are both 'next' Saturday (to my ears).


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:59 pm
 Aidy
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Wednesday midnight, but ambiguous as to whether that's towards 00:01 or 23:59.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:59 pm
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Yep, as most have said, the correct answer is 23:59 on Tuesday. Which I was a bit confused at, because 72 hours before a Saturday arrival puts you at Wednesday. But anyway.

3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday.

This is correct. Unless you're MrsDoris.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 1:59 pm
 cp
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Tuesday midnight would be my assumption based on three full days.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:00 pm
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3 days away is THIS Saturday, 10 days away is NEXT Saturday.

Is the correct answer

I agree (as in that is how I have always understood it), although it does not make sense as next Saturday should be the next one coming up (even if it is Friday evening the next Saturday is, well, the next one).

And how many of us would ever think that next week isn't *next* week, but the next one after that one?


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:04 pm
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Stuff like this can get remarkably complicated. I once had to write code to implement legislation that said that something had to be submitted within one calendar month or it'd fine you. That wasn't very easy to do arithmetically, and when I came up with a method then a lot of arguing ensued.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:06 pm
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I disagree - ( surprised?) 3 days away is next saturday. 10 days is the saturday after


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:06 pm
 Aidy
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And how many of us would ever think that next week isn’t *next* week, but the next one after that one?

Yeah, but if today is Saturday, then next Saturday is 7 days away.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:07 pm
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Yeah, but if today is Saturday, then next Saturday is 7 days away.

No - that would just be 'Saturday' 😉


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:10 pm
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And how many of us would ever think that next week isn’t *next* week, but the next one after that one?

Maybe that's where it stems from? Aligning it with the week? For me, 'next week' begins on Monday, and anything in that week is 'next Tuesday' or 'next Saturday' etc. Anything before that is 'this week' and therefore the days are 'this Friday' or 'this Sunday'.

Anything more distant than 'next Sunday' is 'a week on Tuesday' or 'two weeks tomorrow'.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:18 pm
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The Tuesday midnight/Wed morning border.

Although.....is the hotel on a conveyor?


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 2:27 pm
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The upcoming Saturday is just "Saturday". The "this" is surplus but sometimes needs to be used in case the other party is those hard of thinking types that think that "next Saturday" is "this Saturday".

Even when the "this/next" is used you can guarantee the "do you mean . . . ?" question comes up.

;O)


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 3:59 pm
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Coming Saturday is next Saturday, the one after is Saturday week.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:14 pm
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Wednesday 2pm , working on the theory you can get into your room until 2pm Saturday.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:32 pm
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Coming Saturday is next Saturday, the one after is Saturday week.

I tend to say this coming saturday, or saturday. however if it's the saturday the following week, it's a week next saturday, just to confuse things.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:32 pm
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in case the other party is those hard of thinking types that think that “next Saturday” is “this Saturday”.
this is how I use it and I [I]believe[/I] the generally accepted way, however it must be idiomatic because it doesn't actually make sense - the next Saturday surely must be the one that occurs next?


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:47 pm
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Tuesday midnight

Tuesday 11.59pm. Once it becomes midnight, it's Wednesday so no longer 3 full days prior.

This came up in the Amazon version of Jack Reacher as part of the murder mystery / time of death.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:47 pm
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Semi-Flex rate room bookings may be cancelled before midnight UK time three days prior to the original arrival date, (e.g. For a stay arriving on Saturday, you can cancel until….

Consider, "... may be cancelled before midnight UK time one day prior to the original arrival date"

The midnight between Friday night and Saturday morning is clearly not 'one day prior' to the Saturday, it's one second prior, so this must mean the midnight between Thursday and Friday. Now extrapolate back from there, you've got the midnight at Tuesday night / Wednesday morning.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:48 pm
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The midnight between Friday night and Saturday morning is clearly not ‘one day prior’ to the Saturday, it’s one second prior,

Ah, but Friday is still one day prior to Saturday! 😆

however if it’s the saturday the following week, it’s a week next saturday, just to confuse things.

now that's just a recipe for chaos. A week next Saturday is nearly 3 weeks away!


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 4:59 pm
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the next Saturday surely must be the one that occurs next?

No. Consider two people both wanting a taxi, and as one approaches you see the other person and graciously say 'oh don't worry I'll get the next one'. The approaching taxi would strictly speaking be the next one, but you both know you mean the one after that. Because the approaching taxi is 'this one', it's already in the current context. By analogy, 'this' Saturday is the one in this current context, and I would say 'next Saturday' to mean the one after the current context.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 5:29 pm
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No. Consider two people both wanting a taxi, and as one approaches you see the other person and graciously say ‘oh don’t worry I’ll get the next one’.

make your examples plausible. The one above would never ever happen.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 5:38 pm
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Consider two people both wanting a taxi, and before one approaches you say ‘oh don’t worry I’ll get the next one’. 😁

Honestly, the whole phrase is best avoided. "I'll get the taxi after yours" / "not this Saturday but the next."


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 5:39 pm
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Is the taxi taking you to the Premier Inn?
Is it on a conveyor belt?


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 5:41 pm
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This thread is no longer about OPs question.

Saturday is the one coming.
Next Saturday is the one after that.
Saturday after next is the one after that.
Then you get into just giving the people the date after this, unless you're a lunatic and start saying things like Saturday after after next.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 5:53 pm
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November 26. This Saturday.
December 3. Next Saturday.
December 10. Saturday after next.

Erm, but that last one also means the same as the second one?

English is a wonderful but crap language...


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 6:08 pm
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Question two: is "the other day"

- Specifically, the day before yesterday
- any day in the last week or so
- any day since about 1986


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 6:16 pm
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Question two: is “the other day”

– Specifically, the day before yesterday
– any day in the last week or so
– any day since about 1986

– any day in the last week or so

Anyone using it to mean
– any day since about 1986
needs to be shot.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 6:20 pm
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No. Consider two people both wanting a taxi, and as one approaches you see the other person and graciously say ‘oh don’t worry I’ll get the next one’.
No. in your analogy there are already 2 taxis, so it is only comparable in the specific case that it’s actually Saturday today so “next Saturday” is literally in 1 weeks time.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 7:18 pm
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(e.g. For a stay arriving on Saturday, you can cancel until….

the 12th of Jelember


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 8:46 pm
 Drac
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And how many of us would ever think that next week isn’t *next* week, but the next one after that one?

No one. As it’s this week and next week, just like this Saturday and next Saturday as it’s next week.


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 9:02 pm
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But then we’re always having arguments in our house as “next Saturday” is clearly in 3 days time, the next Saturday. But my OH will argue it’s 10 days off (which is clearly Saturday next week).

Being a pedantic git, I've spent many a happy hour winding up the most gullible girl in work with this one.

Also being a contrary git/wind-up merchant, just when she thinks she's got the whole thing straight, I swap over the other way 😉


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 9:58 pm
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this is how I use it and I believe the generally accepted way, however it must be idiomatic because it doesn’t actually make sense – the next Saturday surely must be the one that occurs next?

This [week's] Saturday
Next [week's] Saturday

Simple and obvious. Now, can someone explain it to Mrs Tillydog? 🙂


 
Posted : 23/11/2022 11:57 pm
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Question two: is “the other day”

Question three. Keep up.

– Specifically, the day before yesterday
– any day in the last week or so
– any day since about 1986

It's a few days ago.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:08 am
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If only we could persuade the people in charge to number the days of the month so that we can precisely specify which day we mean when it's important to be specific.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:38 am
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'The Other Day' is any day within the last quarter.

Or so.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:38 am
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Next Saturday always confused me and sounds wrong the way most folk use it. That's why I also put a date in a text or email.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:46 am
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The one that really confuses me is what is meant by "at the back of (insert hour here!)"

In my experience it can mean anything past the hour as long as it's within this hour. Just allows people to be tardy.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:49 am
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Favourite localism is "snap" meaning break time.

Piece time ain't bad either.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:52 am
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My father in law never ceases to get annoyed by me saying i'll do something at "Half 12"

He's Dutch so it means 11.30, apparently.

Clearly it means 12.30.

I remind him that I don't speak Dutch.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 1:42 am
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Favourite localism is “snap” meaning break time.

Think you'll find that's actually Smoko.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 1:46 am
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My father in law never ceases to get annoyed by me saying i’ll do something at “Half 12”

He’s Dutch so it means 11.30, apparently.

Half twelve is surely 6?
😉

Next, or the next Saturday is just one of those things that always made sense until someone started questioning it and got everyone all confused.

The taxi analogy up there is good I think. We are somewhere in the current cycle of waiting for a taxi where the cycle begins by arriving at the taxi rank and ends when a taxi comes, and so any taxi that comes along from arrival is just the taxi.
Next taxi, or better, THE next taxi is in the following cycle.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 3:56 am
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TBH sort of hi-lights why laws are written the way they are as normal english isn’t that clear and concise.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 8:34 am
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But legalese isn’t necessarily concise


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 9:05 am
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In the OP's quote from Premier Inn, what is the significance of "originally"? It means something if the booking is being changed, but not for a cancellation.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 9:06 am
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This thread is no longer about OPs question.

Sorry, I'll try not to derail a thread next week.

By which I obviously mean next week, not NEXT week.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 9:56 am
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My father in law never ceases to get annoyed by me saying i’ll do something at “Half 12”

He’s Dutch so it means 11.30, apparently.


apparently in the US it's acceptable to use "of" in place of "to" as in "a quarter of one" meaning 12:45. Which is just insane.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 10:28 am
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This coming Saturday, is the Saturday that's about to be.
A week on Saturday is the Saturday after this coming Saturday.
Always give the Saturday in question an actual date.

Don't get me started on Noon and Midnight.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 10:55 am
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The one that really confuses me is what is meant by “at the back of (insert hour here!)”

Is that a local term? I've literally never heard it before.

My father in law never ceases to get annoyed by me saying i’ll do something at “Half 12”

He’s Dutch so it means 11.30, apparently.

I've half a memory that German does something similar? Could be wrong, it's been a while.

apparently in the US it’s acceptable to use “of” in place of “to” as in “a quarter of one” meaning 12:45. Which is just insane.

I've never heard that before either. Let me ask a few Americans.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 11:00 am
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... are you sure it's not "off"? I've never heard of "a quarter off one" either but it at least vaguely makes grammatical sense.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 11:01 am
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[s] apparently in [/s] the US [s] it’s acceptable to use “of” in place of “to” as in “a quarter of one” meaning 12:45. Which[/s] is just insane.

Ftfy


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:13 pm
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I’ve half a memory that German does something similar? Could be wrong, it’s been a while.

Yes you are right. Halb zwölf is half past eleven.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:37 pm
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@cougar

It is in Edinburgh.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:42 pm
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… are you sure it’s not “off”? I’ve never heard of “a quarter off one” either but it at least vaguely makes grammatical sense.
yeah. I've definitely read it as dialogue from a character in a book, can't remember what tho.

the fact that it makes no grammatical sense was basically the point I was making!!

few random links to back it up:
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/a+quarter+of+one
https://www.quora.com/When-someone-says-its-quarter-of-eleven-does-that-mean-its-10-45-or-11-15


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:43 pm
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Anyway, I am busy on Saturday.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:48 pm
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Which one?


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:50 pm
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@greybeard, just for you, here's the full para! For what it's worth, I was amending my booking.

What happens if I need to cancel or amend my booking?

Semi-Flex rate room bookings may be cancelled before midnight UK time three days prior to the original arrival date, (e.g. For a stay arriving on Saturday, you can cancel until 11.59pm UK time on the Tuesday three days prior). After the cancellation period, the whole reservation becomes fully non-refundable including any associated meals and/or additional extras. Bookings amended within 3 days of arrival are outside of the cancellation period and are fully non-refundable, and remain non-refundable despite any amendments to the booking (for example, irrespective of the amended date of stay no cancellation period applies).


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 12:57 pm
 MSP
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Which one?


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 1:00 pm
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Which one?

This next Saturday.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 1:04 pm
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I tend to say this coming saturday

And you would be wrong. It's this Saturday coming.

Question two: is “the other day”

– Specifically, the day before yesterday
– any day in the last week or so
– any day since about 1986

Oh, I know this one!

For a normal person the second one is right, if you're my wife:

The other day - anything up to a fortnight ago.
last week - up to 2 months ago
Last month - anything up to 6 months ago
Last year - anything up to a decade


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 4:08 pm
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Can we at least agree that midnight is half-past 11 thirty ?


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 5:30 pm
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reeksy
Favourite localism is “snap” meaning break time.
Think you’ll find that’s actually Smoko.

Nope, it's Dockey / Docky / Dockie (thinking about it I've never actually seen it written down, only heard it spoken)

EDIT. Apparently, Dockey and Docky are both correct. Who knew?


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 5:35 pm
 MSP
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At least I am sure we can all agree that dinner is the meal at around midday, and the evening meal is called tea.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 5:40 pm
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Absolutely.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 5:42 pm
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'Back of' seems to be a Scottish or at least entire central belt thing, not just East coasters that use it.

At least I am sure we can all agree that dinner is the meal at around midday, and the evening meal is called tea.

Only if you're living in an Enid Blyton novel.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 6:00 pm
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At least I am sure we can all agree that dinner is the meal at around midday, and the evening meal is called tea.

Technically yes, but I've pretty much abandoned "dinner" as a word for much the same reason as, well, all the other examples on this thread. Midday is lunchtime, evening is teatime.

Only if you’re living in an Enid Blyton novel.

Or the North.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 6:18 pm
 Drac
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Back of’ seems to be a Scottish or at least entire central belt thing, not just East coasters that use it.

Used around the NE England too. It means late in the said hour, the back of 5 would be before 6 but towards the end of 5.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 7:15 pm
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Can we at least agree that midnight is half-past 11 thirty ?

Nope, that's midday. You're thinking of half-past 23 thirty.
"My coat, please"


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 7:37 pm
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Luncheon noon onward.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 8:08 pm
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My mum is Irish and I grew up with the idea that 'dinner' is just the big meal of the day, and it can be had at lunchtime or teatime. As such 'after dinner' could mean either afternoon or evening.

Led to some great misunderstandings with mrsDoris for whom dinner is always in the evening.


 
Posted : 24/11/2022 8:23 pm
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