Telling Time Examples in Math

Start with the recap, study the fully worked examples, then use the practice problems to check your understanding of Telling Time.

This page combines explanation, solved examples, and follow-up practice so you can move from recognition to confident problem-solving in Math.

Concept Recap

Reading analog and digital clocks to determine the current time in hours, half hours, quarter hours, and five-minute intervals.

A clock is like a race track with two runners—the short hand (hours) moves slowly, the long hand (minutes) moves fast. When the long hand points to 12, it's exactly on the hour, like the start of a new lap.

Read the full concept explanation →

How to Use These Examples

  • Read the first worked example with the solution open so the structure is clear.
  • Try the practice problems before revealing each solution.
  • Use the related concepts and background knowledge badges if you feel stuck.

What to Focus On

Core idea: Reading a clock means the short hand gives the hour and the long hand counts minutes in fives around the face.

Common stuck point: The procedure for telling time is the easy part; the trap is reading the long hand's number as that many minutes. Asking "Am I naming the time a clock shows right now (not how much time has passed)?" first is what keeps a correct-looking calculation from being attached to the wrong concept.

Sense of Study hint: Ask: Am I naming the time a clock shows right now (not how much time has passed)?

Worked Examples

Example 1

easy
The minute hand points to the 3 on a clock. How many minutes past the hour is it? Remember: each number on a clock equals 5 minutes.

Answer

15 minutes past the hour

First step

1
Each number on the clock represents 5 minutes.

Full solution

  1. 2
    The minute hand points to 3.
  2. 3
    Multiply: 3×5=153 \times 5 = 15 minutes.
  3. 4
    It is 15 minutes past the hour.
On a clock face, each number mark equals 5 minutes because 60 minutes ÷ 12 numbers = 5 minutes per number.

Example 2

medium
The hour hand points just past 2 and the minute hand points to 6. What time is it?

Example 3

easy
The long hand on the clock points to 1212. What word do we say after the hour?

Example 4

medium
The short hand points to 33 and the long hand points to 1212. What number does the hour hand show?

Example 5

medium
The short hand points to 22 and the long hand points to 1212. What hour is it?

Example 6

easy
Maya's clock shows the short hand on 99 and the long hand on 1212. What time does Maya's clock show?

Example 7

medium
Liam's snack time is when the short hand points to 1010 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is Liam's snack?

Example 8

medium
A clock shows the short hand on 66 and the long hand on 1212. What time does the clock show in digital form?

Example 9

easy
Liam's reading time starts when the short hand points to 77 and the long hand points to 1212. What time does reading start?

Example 10

easy
Mia's clock has the short hand pointing to 55 and the long hand pointing to 1212. Write the time in two ways: in words and in digital form.

Example 11

hard
Noah eats lunch when the short hand is between 1212 and 11 and the long hand points to 66. What time does Noah eat lunch?

Example 12

easy
A clock shows the short hand just past 99 and the long hand pointing to 44. What time is it?

Example 13

easy
Ava's clock shows the short hand between 66 and 77, and the long hand on 99. What time does Ava's clock show?

Example 14

hard
Sara looks at the clock: the short hand is between 1010 and 1111, and the long hand points to 88. What time is it, and how many minutes is it before 1111 o'clock?

Practice Problems

Try these problems on your own first, then open the solution to compare your method.

Example 1

easy
The minute hand points to the 4. How many minutes past the hour does it show?

Example 2

medium
A clock shows the hour hand between 7 and 8, and the minute hand pointing to 9. What time does the clock show?

Example 3

easy
The hour hand points to 33 and the minute hand points to 1212. What time is it?

Example 4

easy
The minute hand points to 66. How many minutes past the hour is it?

Example 5

easy
What time is half past 44?

Example 6

easy
The minute hand points to 33. What time phrase describes this?

Example 7

easy
Write '77 o'clock' in digital form.

Example 8

easy
The minute hand points to 99. How many minutes past the hour?

Example 9

easy
It is 2:002{:}00. What time will it be in 11 hour?

Example 10

easy
The clock reads 5:155{:}15. Where does the minute hand point?

Example 11

medium
A movie starts at 3:003{:}00 and lasts 22 hours. When does it end?

Example 12

medium
Write '1010 minutes past 66' in digital form.

Example 13

medium
It is 9:209{:}20. What time was it 2020 minutes ago?

Example 14

medium
It is 4:454{:}45. How many minutes until 5:005{:}00?

Example 15

medium
School starts at 8:158{:}15 and ends at 11:1511{:}15. How many hours is that?

Example 16

medium
A clock shows the hour hand halfway between 22 and 33, minute hand on 66. What time is it?

Example 17

medium
It is 10:5010{:}50. What time will it be in 2020 minutes?

Example 18

medium
A bus leaves every 1515 minutes starting at 9:009{:}00. What are the first three departure times?

Example 19

medium
From 7:407{:}40 to 8:108{:}10, how many minutes pass?

Example 20

challenge
A clock is 55 minutes fast. It reads 3:203{:}20. What is the true time, and what will it read in 4040 true minutes?

Example 21

challenge
How many minutes are there from 11:5011{:}50 AM to 12:3012{:}30 PM?

Example 22

challenge
A meeting lasts 11 hour 4545 minutes and ends at 3:303{:}30. When did it start?

Example 23

easy
A clock has two hands. One hand is short and one hand is long. Which hand is the hour hand?

Example 24

easy
Which clock hand is the minute hand: the long hand or the short hand?

Example 25

easy
The long hand on a clock points to 1212. Is it "o'clock" time?

Example 26

easy
Which hand tells you the hour on a clock?

Example 27

medium
The short hand points to 55 and the long hand points to 1212. Is the long hand showing "o'clock"?

Example 28

medium
Which clock hand moves slower, the short hand or the long hand?

Example 29

hard
A clock has the short hand on 44 and the long hand on 1212. Which number tells you the hour?

Example 30

easy
The short hand points to 33 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is it?

Example 31

easy
The short hand points to 77 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is it?

Example 32

easy
Write the time "55 o'clock" in digital form.

Example 33

easy
The short hand points to 11 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is it?

Example 34

medium
The short hand points to 1212 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is it?

Example 35

easy
The short hand points to 44 and the long hand points to 1212. What time is it in digital form?

Example 36

easy
The short hand is between 22 and 33, and the long hand points to 66. What time is it in digital form?

Example 37

easy
The short hand is between 99 and 1010, and the long hand points to 66. What time is it?

Example 38

medium
The short hand is between 1111 and 1212, and the long hand points to 66. What time is it in digital form?

Example 39

medium
It is 6:006{:}00. Where do the short hand and the long hand point?

Example 40

easy
The short hand is just past 44 and the long hand points to 33. What time is it?

Example 41

easy
The short hand is just past 77 and the long hand points to 22. What time is it?

Example 42

easy
The short hand is between 33 and 44, and the long hand points to 77. What time is it?

Example 43

medium
The time is 5:205{:}20. How many minutes is this past 55 o'clock?

Example 44

medium
The short hand is between 22 and 33, and the long hand points to 1111. What time is it, and how many minutes is it before the next hour?
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Background Knowledge

These ideas may be useful before you work through the harder examples.

countingnumber sense