Telling the time
In this topic you will
- Read and record time to $5$ minutes on analogue and digital clocks.
- Explain what “quarter past” and “quarter to” mean.
Key Words
- analogue clock
- digital clock
- quarter past
- quarter to
Show Definitions
- analogue clock: A clock with a circular face and hands that point to the numbers to show the time.
- digital clock: A clock that shows the time using digits (numbers), such as $07:35$.
- quarter past: A time that is $15$ minutes after the hour (for example, quarter past $3$ is $3:15$).
- quarter to: A time that is $15$ minutes before the next hour (for example, quarter to $4$ is $3:45$).
You need to be able to read and record the time so that you can be in the correct place at the correct time.
Telling the time means you can meet your friends, catch a train or a bus, go to the cinema and so much more.
EXERCISES
$1$. How many minutes are in $1$ hour?
👀 Show answer
$2$. How many minutes are in half an hour?
👀 Show answer
$3$. Make the analogue and digital clocks show the correct time.
👀 Show answer
- $20$ minutes past $10$:$10:20$
- $5$ minutes past $7$:$7:05$
- $30$ minutes past $11$:$11:30$
- $15$ minutes past $12$:$12:15$
- $10$ minutes past $8$:$8:10$
- $25$ minutes past $9$:$9:25$
On each analogue clock, the minute hand points to the correct number of minutes, and the hour hand sits just after the hour number (moving further as the minutes increase).
EXERCISES
$4$. Make the analogue and digital clocks show the correct time.
👀 Show answer
- $10$ minutes to $4$:$3:50$
- $5$ minutes to $2$:$1:55$
- $25$ minutes to $1$:$12:35$
- $15$ minutes to $6$:$5:45$
On each analogue clock, place the minute hand on the correct minute mark and place the hour hand just before the next hour (closer to the next hour when there are fewer minutes left).
Think like a Mathematician
The minute hand is pointing to an odd number greater than $6$. What could the time be? How many different times are there?
Method:
- List the odd numbers greater than $6$ on a clock face.
- For each number, write the minutes it represents (each number is $5$ minutes).
- Choose an hour and write a possible time for each minute value.
- Check your times by imagining where the minute hand would point on an analogue clock.
Show Answers
- Odd numbers greater than $6$:$7$, $9$, $11$.
- Minutes they represent:$7 \times 5 = 35$ minutes, $9 \times 5 = 45$ minutes, $11 \times 5 = 55$ minutes.
- So the minute hand could show:$35$, $45$, or $55$ minutes past the hour.
- Examples of possible times:$2:35$, $2:45$, $2:55$ (and the same minute values work for any hour).
- How many different times? There are $3$ different minute positions, so there are $3$ possible minute values. If you include all $12$ possible hours on the clock face, that gives $3 \times 12 = 36$ different times.
EXERCISES
$5$. Complete the clocks and write the time in words.
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- Row $1$: Digital clock $02:15$; time in words: quarter past $2$.
- Row $2$: Digital clock $06:45$; time in words: quarter to $7$.
- Row $3$: Analogue clock shows $10:45$; time in words: quarter to $11$.
- Row $4$: Analogue clock shows $04:15$; time in words: quarter past $4$.
$6$. Complete the clocks.
Draw a ring around the correct time of day.
👀 Show answer
- Quarter to $5$: Digital time $4:45$; ring Afternoon.
- Quarter past $3$: Digital time $3:15$; ring Afternoon.
- Quarter to $8$: Digital time $7:45$; ring Morning.
- Quarter past $8$: Digital time $8:15$; ring Evening.