Seasonal Round Circular Month Gap Tool

Description

Return circular month gap on a twelve-month index.

Anthropological records depend on source-specific labels, observation periods, coding choices and participant context. A ratio, cyclic index or kinship-code offset describes supplied data rather than identifying a social relationship or cultural meaning. Replacing names with aliases does not establish anonymity.

Return circular month gap on a twelve-month index.

When to use this tool

Use Seasonal Round Circular Month Gap when checking the stated observation, coding, chronology or record convention.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter firstMonth, secondMonth. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read forwardMonths, shortestMonths. Use the output convention below.

Return circular month gap on a twelve-month index. Require whole months 1..12; forwardMonths = mod(second-first,12), shortestMonths is the minimum of both directions.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
firstMonth	First Month	Required. Safe integer; minimum 1; maximum 12.
secondMonth	Second Month	Required. Safe integer; minimum 1; maximum 12.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
forwardMonths	Forward Months	Required. Safe integer.
shortestMonths	Shortest Months	Required. Safe integer.

json

{
  "input": {
    "firstMonth": 11,
    "secondMonth": 2
  },
  "output": {
    "forwardMonths": 3,
    "shortestMonths": 3
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

The month order is supplied; no lunar/calendar conversion or actual seasonal ethnographic inference is performed.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Consult the original field records, community context and appropriate ethical/privacy practices for cultural interpretation or disclosure decisions.

References

Calculation and input contract: anthropology/seasonal-round-circular-month-gap — tool.io

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