If it's meant to be exact then why doesn't it just say 3 and a half years or something similar? The fact that it says a time, times and half a time suggests that it's not being literal to me. If that's literal then I find that to be a strange way of being literal.
Scripture clearly identifies the time-times-half a time as being "Literal" 1260 days or 3.5 years
You don't want to acknowledge this future 3.5 year tribulation, because you believe and teach it was fulfilled in the reformed preterist 66-70AD Roman armies in Jerusalem's destruction
Daniel 12:7KJV
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a
time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Revelation 12:6 & 14KJV
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there
a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for
a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
The Woman in the wilderness during the future tribulation, they will be in the wilderness of Gilead, Bashan, and Carmel, and fed by God manna from heaven, as the world watches in astonishment
Revelation 12:6KJV
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Micah 7:14-17KJV
14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.
16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.