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Read time to the quarter hour

The learner interprets an analog clock as a circular representation of 60 minutes, with each quarter of the circle representing 15 minutes. They identify and name times at the hour, quarter past, half past, and quarter to, coordinating the minute hand’s position with the hour hand’s position and matching these times to forms such as 2:15 and 2:45; finer minute readings and elapsed-time calculations are not included.

Detailed Explanation: Read time to the quarter hour

An analog clock has 60 minutes in one full circle. Each quarter of the circle is 15 minutes.

  • Minute hand at 12: o’clock
  • Minute hand at 3: quarter past
  • Minute hand at 6: half past
  • Minute hand at 9: quarter to

To read the clock, look at the minute hand first, then the hour hand.

Example:

  1. The minute hand points to 9. That means 45 minutes have passed, or quarter to the next hour.
  2. The hour hand is between 2 and 3, moving toward 3. The hour is still 2.
  3. So the time is quarter to 3, written as 2:45.

Therefore, the clock shows 2:45.

Learn by doing: Read time to the quarter hour

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Time - Telling - Clock to Digital - Quarter Hours


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