Cartoon calculation was way off the mark

There is a problem with the May 29 John Carey cartoon showing children counting the seconds until school is out. Although the cartoon depends on math to have any meaning, the math is incorrect.

To calculate the seconds in a day, it is not 60 x 24; it is 60 x 60 x 24. Consequently, Mr. Carey's 18-day calculation is off by over 98 percent.

At least he had the good sense to have a girl make the mistake. Everyone knows that girls can't do math.

Sadly, the cartoon depicts what would probably happen if many students or recent graduates actually did a chalkboard calculation.

In real life they ask their computer and arrive at the correct answer (1,555,200 rather than 25,920) with no idea of what happened.
Clarence E. Woody
Jackson