Here's why:

* Interphase is the period between cell divisions. During this phase, the cell grows, duplicates its DNA, and prepares for the next division.

* Mitosis (cell division) is a relatively short process compared to the time the cell spends growing and functioning.

Think of it like this: Imagine a student's life. They spend most of their time in school (interphase) learning and growing, and only a small portion of their time taking exams (mitosis).