Technically, calling it 12 pm is incorrect.
The correct term should be 12 noon.
Because 12 o'clock is right on the meridian, it cannot be either before the meridian (am) or after the meridian (pm).
However, because many clocks and other devices don't have special symbols/markings for noon and midnight, they use the pm and am designations for these meridian measures.
Noon is referred to as 12 pm because one minute after noon is 12:01 pm.
Midnight is referred to as 12 am because one minute after midnight is 12:01 am.
So it is merely for convenience sake that midday is often called 12 pm.
2007-02-28 04:18:18
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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I do believe you'd agree, at midnight (1200) it is the beginning of AM. From there we progress through the hours until we are at 1159am. The next minute passes and you're at 1200- and not the am side of it. That time is the exact middle of the 24 hour day.
It goes along just like counting. For example, 3000 to 3999 is the three thousand's. 4000 to 4999 is the four thousands. If it were to change to PM at 1201, that would be backwards of how numbers work.
2007-02-28 15:42:14
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answer #2
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answered by quit breathing my useful oxygen 2
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A regular 24 hour day is a day from the Gregorian calender, (most generally used world-wide) and thus the middle is 24 /12 which is two parts, therefore 12pm is midday.
2007-02-28 05:38:43
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answer #3
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answered by Unknown 2
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Midnight is known as 12:00 a.m. and is followed by 12:01 a.m. etc.
Noon or midday is know as 12:00 p.m. and is followed by 12:01 p.m. etc.
Since we go on two 12 hour segments instead of as in the military 24 hour segments we must differentiate between morning and afternoon or evening. You might think of 12:00 as the 0 minute of the morning or afternoon.
2007-02-28 16:07:23
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answer #4
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answered by don n 6
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Because it is the middle of the 24 hour day that began 12 hours earlier and will end 12 hours later.
2007-02-28 10:08:19
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answer #5
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answered by lisateric 5
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A day is composed of 24 hours and the middle of the day or "mid-day" as many people call it occurs at the point of 12 PM during the day
2007-02-28 04:01:13
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answer #6
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answered by Siva 2
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Midday is known as noon its 12.00 hrs and 12 pm is (midnight) or again 24.00 hrs
2007-02-28 12:59:12
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answer #7
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answered by srracvuee 7
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because a new day starts at day break and ends at sun set the time we use is based on the sun dial
2007-02-28 13:35:58
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answer #8
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answered by howdy doody 3
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as it is 12 hours past (PAST) midnight
2007-02-28 12:22:40
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answer #9
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answered by confused 4
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pm is from latin... post meridiem and it means after noon
2007-02-28 05:58:00
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answer #10
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answered by kwambonambi 3
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