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Time in Hours and Minutes

Measuring the time in hours, minutes and seconds are discussed here to read out the following figures of clock/watch.

How to read time in hours and minutes?

The clock which has 3 hands on its face shows the time in hours, minutes and seconds. The hour hand shows the hours, the minute hand shows the minutes and the second hand shows the seconds.

There are 12 big divisions marked on a clock. The big divisions have five small divisions each. The small division stands for one minute. When the minute hand moves from one big division to the next, 5 minutes have passed.

When the minute hand moves from one small division to the next, 1 minute has passed.

How to Read Time?

To read the time, first look at the hour-hand. It is between 4 and 5, so it is after 4 o' clock. To find the minutes skip count by 5’s from 12 to 8 (40).

Then count by ones till you reach the minute-hand (42). 

The time is 4 : 42.

2 hours 5 minutes

Hour hand is at 2 Minute hand is at 1,
So, time is 2 hours 5 minutes
2 : 05

20 minutes to 5

40 minutes past 4
20 minutes to 5
4 : 40

5 minutes to 4

55 minutes past 3
5 minutes to 4,
3 hours 55 minutes
3 : 55

24 minutes to 3

36 minutes past 2,
24 minutes to 3
2 : 36

6 hours 0 minute

Hour hand at 6
Minute hand at 12
6 hours 0 minute
6 : 00

18 minutes to 5

Hour hand is between 4 and 5
Minute hand is at 8 x 5 + 2
42 minutes past 4
18 minutes to 5
4 : 42

08 minutes to 5

52 minutes past 4
08 minutes to 5
4 : 52

Minute hand at 12

Hour hand is at 11
Minute hand at 12
11 : 00

12 minutes to 8

48 minutes past 7
12 minutes to 8
7 : 48

08 minutes to 9

52 minutes past 8
08 minutes to 9
8 : 52

This watch/clock will help us to read out the time in hours and minutes.

Suppose, if it is 30 minutes past 6 we write it as half past 6 or half to 7. 

If it is 45 minutes past 8 we write it as quarter to 9.

We write 10 : 15 as quarter past 10

Time in Hours and Minutes

Let us look at the clock for measuring the time in hours, minutes and seconds. Its hour hand is between 1 and 2 which shows that the time is between 1 o’ clock and 2 o’ clock. Its minute hand is at 4 which shows 4 Γ— 5 = 20 minutes. Its second hand is at 3 which shows 3 Γ— 5 = 15 seconds. So, the clock shows the time 1 hour 20 minutes and 15 seconds.


For example, let us look at the clock and express the time in hours, minutes and seconds.

Time in Hours Minutes and Seconds

The hour hand of the clock is between 11 and 12 which shows that the time is between 11 o’ clock and 12 o’ clock. The minute hand is at 8 which shows 8 Γ— 5 = 40 minutes.

The second hand is at 1 which shows 1 Γ— 5 = 5 seconds. So, the clock shows the time 11 hours 40 minutes and 5 seconds.




Related Concepts

● Units for Measuring Length

● Measuring Instruments

● To Measure the Length of a Line-segment

● Perimeter of a Figure

● Unit of Mass or Weight

● Examples on Unit of Mass or Weight

● Units for The Measurement of Capacity

● Examples on Measurement of Capacity

● Measurement of Time

● Read a Watch or a Clock

● Antemeridian (a.m.) or Postmeridian (p.m.)

● What Time it is?

● Time in Hours and Minutes

● 24 Hour Clock

● Units of Time

● Examples Units of Time

● Time Duration

● Calendar

● Reading and Interpreting a Calendar

● Calendar Guides us to Know








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