How to Determine if a Year is a Leap Year

To determine if a year is a leap year, you can follow a simple set of rules:

1. A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4.
2. However, if the year is divisible by 100, it is not a leap year, unless:
3. It is also divisible by 400, in which case it is a leap year.

For example:

• The year 2020 is a leap year because it is divisible by 4.
• The year 1900 is not a leap year because, although it is divisible by 4 and 100, it is not divisible by 400.
• The year 2000 is a leap year because it is divisible by 400.

This system was put in place to keep our calendar aligned with the Earth’s revolutions around the Sun. A leap year adds an extra day to February, giving it 29 days instead of the usual 28, which helps correct the discrepancies that accumulate over time.