Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The vowel sound in "dime" is a short "i" sound, similar to the "i" in "sit" or "pin."
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound is typically represented by a single vowel letter followed by a silent "e" at the end of a word (like "time" or "bike"). In "dime", the "e" is not silent, it's pronounced.
Therefore, "dime" has a short vowel sound, not a long vowel sound.