Using Clocks

The short hand shows the hour

The long hand shows the minutes

There are $60$ minutes in one full hour

Each number on the clock stands for $5$ minutes

• 1$$ means $$5 minutes past

• 2$$ means $$10 minutes past

• and so on

If the long hand points to $12$, the time is o'clock

If the long hand points to $6$, the time is half past

Half of 60$$ minutes is $$30 minutes

So half past means $30$ minutes past the hour

A quarter of 60$$ minutes is $$15 minutes

"Quarter past" means $15$ minutes after the hour

• The long hand points to $3$

"Quarter to" means $15$ minutes before the next hour

• The long hand points to $9$

Digital times show hours and minutes

The number before the colon shows the hour

The number after the colon shows the minutes