Re:Why numbering should start at zero (1982)
by caf on Thursday December 15, 2016 @09:39PM
(#13190651)
...but isn't the most salient point of the fifth object that there are 4 objects preceding it? (there could be any number of object after it, and it would remain the fifth).
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Re:Why numbering should start at zero (1982)
by belovedeagle on Thursday December 15, 2016 @11:10PM
(#13191000)
To play devil's advocate -- and let's be clear, confusing ordinals and cardinals really is the devil's work ;) -- there are 5 items not after the fifth item.
The ridiculousness of that argument should be evidence enough that the fifth item is item 4.
Re:Why numbering should start at zero (1982)
by andrewflnr on Friday December 16, 2016 @04:37PM
(#13197087)
Only if you phrase it awkwardly like that. Adding the fifth element creates a set of five elements.