Tell Time to the Minute
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What you will learn
- 1Read analog clock times to the minute
- 2Write clock times using o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to
Mini Lesson
An analog clock has two hands. The short hand is the hour hand and the long hand is the minute hand. When the minute hand points to 12, it is o'clock. When it points to 6, it is half past. When it points to 3, it is quarter past. When it points to 9, it is quarter to the next hour. Each number on the clock represents 5 minutes.
Reading the Clock
- Minute hand on 12 = o'clock (e.g. 3:00 = three o'clock).
- Minute hand on 6 = half past (e.g. 7:30 = half past seven).
- Minute hand on 3 = quarter past (e.g. 2:15 = quarter past two).
- Minute hand on 9 = quarter to (e.g. 9:45 = quarter to ten).
- For other times, count by 5s from 12, then count on by 1s for each small mark (1 minute each).
The Minute Hand and Minutes
- Each number on the clock face represents 5 minutes.
- Number 1 = 5 minutes past, number 2 = 10 minutes past, etc.
- Number 5 = 25 minutes past, number 7 = 35 minutes past.
- Number 10 = 50 minutes past (or 10 minutes to the next hour).
Words to know
Hour
A unit of time equal to 60 minutes
e.g. It is 3 hours until dinner.
Minute
A unit of time equal to 60 seconds
e.g. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
Hour hand
The shorter hand on a clock, pointing to the hour
e.g. When the hour hand is on 9, the hour is 9.
Minute hand
The longer hand on a clock, pointing to the minutes
e.g. When the minute hand is on 6, the time is 30 minutes after the hour.
Analog clock
A clock with hands and numbers on a circle
e.g. I read the time on the analog clock.
Digital clock
A clock that shows the time in numbers
e.g. My digital clock says 9:45.
Remember: the hour hand moves slowly. If it is between two numbers, the number it has just passed is the current hour — the clock has not yet reached the next number.
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