Easter is always celebrated on Sunday. It marks the end of the most rigorous and longest post. They prepare for this day of the resurrection of Christ all week: they paint boiled eggs, make Easter cakes and consecrate them in the church. Each year, the holiday date changes. You can determine when Easter will be by a special formula.
Instruction manual
1
Despite the fact that the date of Easter varies from year to year, there is a certain period beyond which it cannot go beyond. This is the interval between March 22 and April 25 according to the old style and between April 4 and May 8 - the new. This holy day for Christians immediately follows the end of Lent and falls on the first or second Sunday after the Easter full moon.
2
You can determine when Easter will be by special tables called Easter eggs. They are clergy for several years to come. However, you can calculate this day yourself. It is only necessary to strictly follow the above algorithm and be careful. Consider the calculation procedure for a particular year, for example 2012.
3
There is a formula that includes two unknown quantities. They are calculated by arithmetic division, and it is not the results of these actions that matter, but the resulting residues. In the absence of a residue, it is taken equal to zero.
4
Write the basic formula: p = 4 + x + y, where p is the date of Easter, which can be either April or May day. It depends on the result of comparison with the number 30. If p turns out to be less than 30, then the holiday will be in April, if it’s more, it will be in May, and 30 should be subtracted from p.
5
Find the unknown number x by doing a series of sequential calculations. Divide the number of the year by 19, remember the resulting remainder. Then multiply it by 19 and add 15, divide the total by 30, x is the remainder of this operation: 2012/19 = 105, remainder = 17; 17 • 19 = 323 + 15 = 338; 338/30 = 11, remainder = 8 → x = 8.
6
Calculate y by the following formula: y = remainder (2 • A + 4 • B + 6 • x + 6) / 7. The value of A is the remainder of dividing the number 2012 by 4, B is the remainder of dividing by 7, and you already know x. So: 2012/4 = 503 + 0 → A = 0; 2012/7 = 287 + 3/7 → B = 3; 2 • 0 + 4 • 3 + 6 • 8 + 6 = 66; 66/17 = 9 + 3/7 → y = 3.
7
Substitute x and y in the main formula: 4 + 8 + 3 = 15. The number 15 is less than 30, therefore, Easter in 2012 falls on April 15th.
