[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Finally a question that this structural engineer could sink his teeth into. I have been telling everybody for years that a good grasp of the language of mathematics is essential for officiating basketball.

When the clock shows the time in tenths of a second, saying less that 0.4 seconds is the same as saying 0.3 seconds or less.

If I had proper mathematics symbols on this keyboard I would write it out in a mathematics sentence.

But one should remember that if a clock that shows time in tenths of a second then if 0.3 seconds is showing on the clock there is actually anywhere from 0.39 seconds to 0.30 seconds left on the clock. The same applies when a clock shows time in seconds: if the clock shows 4 seconds then there really is anywhere from 4.9 seconds to 4.0 seconds left on the clock. This is why it is possible to have all zeros on the clock and not have the horn sound yet.

I apologize for this treatise on the language of mathematics but you know the old saying: "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance then baffle them with bulls**t."
But what I have said really is true about what the clock shows and what time really remains.