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Using Clocks

Maths: KS3, topic 3.1.1

Using Clocks

Learn how to read analogue and digital clocks.

Clock hands and minutes

Clock hands and minutes

  • The short hand shows the hour

  • The long hand shows the minutes

  • There are 6060 minutes in one full hour

  • Each number on the clock stands for 55 minutes

  • 11 means 55 minutes past

  • 22 means 1010 minutes past

  • and so on

O'clock and half past

O'clock and half past

  • If the long hand points to 1212, the time is o'clock

  • If the long hand points to 66, the time is half past

  • Half of 6060 minutes is 3030 minutes

  • So half past means 3030 minutes past the hour

Quarter past and quarter to

Quarter past and quarter to

  • A quarter of 6060 minutes is 1515 minutes

  • "Quarter past" means 1515 minutes after the hour

  • The long hand points to 33

  • "Quarter to" means 1515 minutes before the next hour

  • The long hand points to 99

Digital times

Digital times

  • Digital times show hours and minutes

  • The number before the colon shows the hour

  • The number after the colon shows the minutes

Test yourself on Using Clocks

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