Modulo Conundrum: Developing the Secret of Ethereum Blocks

The Ethereum block time indicator has long been interested in programmers and fans. Over the years, many have assured MainNet blocks because a specific sample is united. In particular, it has been observed that the “block.timestamp” modulo is 12 equal 11. But what does that really mean?

In this article, we are immersed in mathematics behind the Ethereum blocks and examine that this seemingly harmless property is true forever.

What is the block time label?

To understand the sample, we first determine what represents the time indicator of the block. In the Ethereum (POS) consensus algorithm, each block contains a transaction, the so -called blocks. The time indicator of these blocks corresponds to them during their creation, measured from 1 January 2009.

Modulo Operation

Now check the modulo surgery (“block.timestamm % 12”). This operation accepts the whole number (in this case “block.timestamp”) and returns the rest after Class 12, ie it gives us a value from 0 (inclusive) and 11 (exclusively).

Modulo 12 equals 11

As the problem says, because we deal with the main blocks, their time markers are always numerical. When these labels are taken in Modulo 12, the result is actually 11.

However, it must be understood why this equality applies to all blocks, not just those that have been for a while.

Why 12?

In the Pop Ethereum Consensus Algorithm, each block contains a limited number of “difficulty goals”. These goals represent the calculation performance needed to solve the complex mathematical puzzles related to the creation of new blocks. For the “block.timestamp” modulo 12, we basically examine the number of seconds that have passed since the last time we can create a new block that meets these difficulties.

Is this property guaranteed?

Although it is true that 11 are relatively close to 12 years, it is not a difficult and fast rule. Many potential cases should be considered:

• Date of day : If the current time is exactly hours (ie the modulo 12 0), then the “block.

• Network overload : In rare cases, high network employment can create a large number of blocks in a short period of time, causing a potentially “block. Equal 0). However, this is unlikely to practice unlikely.

Application

The property that the Ethereum block time blocks is modulo 12 Equal 11 seems to be true for all MainNet blocks. Although this is not guaranteed, it is worth noting that there are any exceptions that need to be taken into account. Nevertheless, this pattern is still an interesting and slightly contradictory aspect of Ethereum’s basic architecture.

Sources:

• Ethereum Programmer Blog: “Block Timestamp Modulo 12”

• Ethereum Whitererep: Section Consensus with Algorithm

• Different forums and online discussions

Note: This article aims to ensure a general understanding of the topic. As with all complex mathematical concepts, further research or explanation may require in -depth research.