Question: Was there a difference in the calendar back in the days of Methuselah compared to today's calendar? Methuselah lived 969 years and numerous other lived hundreds of years. Compared to today when the average life span is 70 plus years what is the reason why the longer life span in Methuselah's time?

Answer: No, the calender was not different even though they probably did not have a calender. We must accept by faith that the years of early days are the same as the years of latter days.

The first we read of a calendar is in the days of the first Passover.
There are many things in post-flood times that are different from pre-flood times.
The most notable was the fact that men lived hundreds of years.
Personally I also see that vegetarianism was the only means of food before the flood and I also do not believe that it rained upon the earth until the heavens were opened up in the days of Noah. Be that as it may or may not be, let us see what happens after the flood.

Shortly, Noah dies and we see that his sons and all subsequent generations lower the life expectancy down rapidly to the century mark (in some rare cases, beyond the century mark).
Gen 11:10-32 list the generations of Abraham who died around the age of 180.
When David wrote the 90th Psalm he records the full life as threescore and ten (70) and by strength fourscore (80) Psa 90:10.
After this time, anyone who lived past the century mark was a rare exception.

As to the reasons, I do not know. There have been many theories postulated, but anything is possible I guess.

Keep studying God's word, the Bible. By Carey Scott (July 2000 - www.askme.com)

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