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Read time to the hour

An analog clock represents the hour by the short hour hand and the minute hand pointing to 12; the numbers 1 through 12 name the successive hours in a repeating cycle. Learners connect these clock positions with “o’clock” and matching digital times, while distinguishing the hour hand from the longer minute hand; reading minutes past the hour, elapsed time, and more complex time intervals are not included.

Detailed Explanation: Read time to the hour

Look at the two hands on the clock:

  1. Find the shorter hand. It is the hour hand.
  2. Find the longer hand. It is the minute hand.
  3. If the minute hand points to 12, the time is o’clock.
  4. Read the number that the hour hand points to.

Example:

The short hand points to 44, and the long hand points to 1212.

  • The short hand tells us the hour: 44.
  • The long hand points to 1212, so it is exactly o’clock.

The time is four o’clock, written as 4:004{:}00.

Learn by doing: Read time to the hour

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Time - Telling - Clock to Words - Full Hours


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