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Originally Posted by Scrapper1
I agree.
I disagree. Exactly 14 is equivalent to exactly 14.0. 14 dollars is equivalent to 14.0 dollars. Exactly 14 seconds is equivalent to exactly 14.0 seconds. It is the only sensible thing in this thread.
This whole discussion would go away if the rule simply said "If the shot clock displays 14 seconds or less, reset it to 15".
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You have your head so far up your...errr....let's say you have your head so far into the weeds that you're concerned with making cute debating style points instead of hearing my message.
I'll try 1 more time then I'll give up.
The shot clock does not display tenths of seconds and we have no way of knowing how it passes the time from 15 seconds to 14 seconds. And I mean that in a very real sense. For this very reason we have absolutely no standing to come to any conclusion on the measurement of time between 15 and 14. With me so far? Or do you want to stop to question what I mean by "weeds"?
This idea is wrapped up neatly in a measuring technique that uses the concept of significant digits. There are ways to define what the accuracy of a measurement is, one way is to write the number that includes however many decimal places you know to be realiably measured*. When you say 14 you are saying it could be 14.0, 14.1, 14.2....or maybe even 13.9. When you say 14.0 you mean 14.0 - not 14.1 or 13.9. IOW (and I know this is gonna be tough so maybe read it 2 or 3 times...) 14 is NOT equivalent to 14.0.
See? 14 could be 14.1
14.0 could NOT be 14.1.
Since you admit you haven't thought about this since HS and you still to this day have no idea how it works I can understand why you are confused. But (by convention and practice) 14 seconds is not the same as 14.0 seconds.
* Does not have to be decimals - when Micky D says they sold billions and billions, do you think they have the exact number sold down to a single burger?