Independent of how many discrete groups we invent, there is a broader range of times of local solar noon in the lower 48 states than in Europe. So what I mean

Independent of how many discrete groups we invent, there is a broader range of times of local solar noon in the lower 48 states than in Europe. So what I mean is that, because integers are easy to work with, and we've arbitrarily settled on 24 hours in a day, and given time zones exist, the number of them in the lower 48 US states (4 plus Arizona's situation) is pretty far from wild. China's decision is much more of a stretch.