If you subscribe to the “rule of seven,” the question of where the boundaries of a socially acceptable relationship lie arent a matter of opinion—theyre clearly defined. According to the rule, the age of the younger partner (regardless of gender) should be no less than seven more than half the older partners age.

Is 7 years a bad age gap?

This rule states that by dividing your own age by two and then adding seven you can find the socially acceptable minimum age of anyone you want to date. So if youre a 24-year-old, you can feel free to be with anyone who is at least 19 (12 + 7) but not someone who is 18.