Math Playground
Measurement

Analog & digital clocks

Two ways to display the same time — read either at a glance.

Two ways to display time.

Drag the hands
121234567891011
3:25
24-hour: 03:25
25 minutes past 3

Two displays, same time

  • Analog — hands sweep around a 12-hour dial; you read position.
  • Digital — exact numbers, often 24-hour (13:00 = 1 PM).
  • On an analog clock the short hand = hours, long hand = minutes.
  • Each number-to-number gap is 5 minutes for the minute hand.

Saying it in words

'Past' for the first half hour (3:25 = 'twenty-five past three'), 'to' for the second half (3:50 = 'ten to four'). Quarter past = :15, half past = :30, quarter to = :45.

Your turn

The hour hand is between 8 and 9, the minute hand points at 6. What time is it?

Compare

  • Analog — hands on a circular dial.
  • Digital — numbers in a display.