Author: gnygaard

Description:
This is a problem involving signs of numbers, with a major mistake in
implementation.

<nowiki>[[15 March]] [[44 BC]] </nowiki> ([[15 March]] [[44 BC]]) displays as
-0043-03-15 (correct) and 15 March 44 BC (correct)

<nowiki>[[-0044-03-15]] </nowiki> ([[-0044-03-15]]) displays as -0044-03-15
(correct) and 15 March 43 BC (incorrect, should be 15 March 45 BC).

When BC dates are converted to negative numbers, you need to subtract one from
the [[absolute value]] of the BC date. Don't convert to 44 BC to a negative
number -44 and then subtract one. The year 44 BC corresponds to -43, not to
-45. The year -44 (-0044) corresponds to 45 BC, not 43 BC. If you get lost,
just go back to the beginning and figure out that zero is 1 BC, -1 is 2 BC, etc.

This has been discussed a long time ago on [[Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style
(dates and numbers)]]
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Version: unspecified
Severity: normal