answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The reason we have a leap year is due to the precise time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun.

It takes the Earth 365.25 days to rotate around the Sun.

Our calendar year is 365 days--note the missing quarter-day?

The quarter-day each year is added on every four years to keep it accurate.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

This is a very rough approximation and there are other factors to take into consideration.

A year, the amount of time it takes the earth to orbit the sun, is slightly longer than 365 days by about a quarter of a day. So every four years an extra day is added to the year to make up for this discrepancy. Otherwise the seasons would gradually fall out of step with the calendar and we would be having snow and blizzards in summer (in the northern hemisphere).

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

To compensate for 6 hours extra every 1 year.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

there are 365 days 6 hours in a year to make up for the 6 hours every four years it will equal 24 hours so they have to have a extra day

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Years divisible by 4 are leap years (with some additional exceptions at the end of the century). For example, 2012 is a leap year, since the number is divisible by 4.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How is leap year formed?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp