There are many formulas that you can use to calculate time based on distance and velocity. Based on many experiments, scientists concluded that the simplest formula was t = d ÷ v. In other words, the time it takes for an object to travel a certain distance can be determined by dividing the distance by the object's velocity. For example, if you drive a car at a velocity of sixty miles per hour over a distance of sixty miles, according to this formula, your trip will take 1 hour (60 miles ÷ 60 miles/hour). However, in 1905, Albert Einstein discovered that was wrong. The correct answer is actually 0.9999999999999997 hours. That's less than a quadrillionth (a thousandth of a thousandth of a thousandth of a thousandth of a thousandth) of an hour different from 1 hour. As you can see, the old formula is extremely accurate, and with the measuring tools of the time, nobody could tell the difference.

In accordance with Occam's Razor, earlier scientists chose t = d ÷ v, because it was the simplest formula that satisfied the evidence. However, centuries later, Einstein determined that a more complicated formula was required to get the right answers. Occam's Razor is not always right. However, scientists still have faith in Occam's Razor, because it is almost always right.

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