Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Reading an analogue clock to the minute
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 4 time to the minute chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Reading an analogue clock to the minute
The short hand shows the hour. The long hand shows the minutes. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes, and each small mark is 1 minute.
Read the minutes first, from the long hand. Then read the hour from the short hand.
Key ideas
- The long hand shows the minutes.
- Each number is 5 minutes; count the small marks for each extra minute.
- Write the minutes with two digits, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.4 fives = 20 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It has passed the 7, so the hour is 7.the hour is 7
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.7:20
Check. Check: 7 o'clock is the hour, and 20 minutes past it.
Watch out. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. It points to the 9, which is 45 minutes.9 fives = 45 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. The hour hand is just before the 3, so the hour is 2.the hour is 2
- Write the time. Quarter to three is 2:45.2:45
Check. Check: 2:45 is 15 minutes before 3:00.
Watch out. The long hand near 9 means 45 minutes past the hour.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. It is past the 1, which is 5 minutes, and 3 small marks further on.5 + 3 = 8 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It has passed the 11, so the hour is 11.the hour is 11
- Write the time. Write two digits for the minutes.11:08
Check. Check: 11:08 is 8 minutes past 11.
Watch out. Count each small mark as 1 minute.
Watch out
Watch out. The short hand does not give the minutes. A time of 2:45 has the long hand at the 9, not the 2.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Where is the long hand? How many minutes is that?” Then ask: “Where is the short hand?”
Exercise 8A Practice: reading an analogue clock
Non-calculatorMethod. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.8 fives = 40 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 12
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.12:40
Check. Check: the hour is 12, and the long hand shows 40 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.0 fives = 0 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.0 + 4 = 4 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 9
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.9:04
Check. Check: the hour is 9, and the long hand shows 4 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.8 fives = 40 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.40 + 3 = 43 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 9
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.9:43
Check. Check: the hour is 9, and the long hand shows 43 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.11 fives = 55 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 7
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.7:55
Check. Check: the hour is 7, and the long hand shows 55 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.0 fives = 0 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.0 + 3 = 3 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 6
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.6:03
Check. Check: the hour is 6, and the long hand shows 3 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.8 fives = 40 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.40 + 3 = 43 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 2
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.2:43
Check. Check: the hour is 2, and the long hand shows 43 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.10 fives = 50 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.50 + 2 = 52 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 4
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.4:52
Check. Check: the hour is 4, and the long hand shows 52 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.4 fives = 20 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.20 + 1 = 21 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 3
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.3:21
Check. Check: the hour is 3, and the long hand shows 21 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.1 fives = 5 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.5 + 3 = 8 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 7
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.7:08
Check. Check: the hour is 7, and the long hand shows 8 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.0 fives = 0 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 7
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.7:00
Check. Check: the hour is 7, and the long hand shows 0 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.9 fives = 45 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.45 + 3 = 48 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 11
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.11:48
Check. Check: the hour is 11, and the long hand shows 48 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.3 fives = 15 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.15 + 4 = 19 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 1
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.1:19
Check. Check: the hour is 1, and the long hand shows 19 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.2 fives = 10 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.10 + 3 = 13 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 4
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.4:13
Check. Check: the hour is 4, and the long hand shows 13 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.8 fives = 40 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 5
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.5:40
Check. Check: the hour is 5, and the long hand shows 40 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.3 fives = 15 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 3
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.3:15
Check. Check: the hour is 3, and the long hand shows 15 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.
Method. Read the minutes from the long hand, then the hour from the short hand.
- Read the minute hand, the long hand. Each number on the clock face is 5 minutes.6 fives = 30 minutes
- Count the small marks past that number. Each small mark is 1 minute.30 + 4 = 34 minutes
- Read the hour hand, the short hand. It shows the hour that has passed, so read the hour before it.the hour is 9
- Write the time. Write the hour, then a colon, then two digits for the minutes.9:34
Check. Check: the hour is 9, and the long hand shows 34 minutes.
Watch out. The short hand must be near the hour, and the long hand counts the minutes. Use two digits for minutes, like 7:05.