A clock has a short hand for the hour and a long hand for the minutes. You can read numbers to 20, so you can read a clock!
Key idea
When the long hand points to 12, it is o’clock, like 3:00. When it points to 6, it is half past, like 3:30.
Why it works
The long hand goes all the way around in one hour. Halfway around, at the 6, is half an hour: 30 minutes. In that time the short hand moves halfway to the next number.
Worked example: O’clock
The short hand points to 7. The long hand points to 12. What time is it?
- Long hand at 12: o’clock.
- Short hand at 7.
- It is 7:00.
Answer: 7:00
Worked example: Half past
The short hand is halfway between 4 and 5. The long hand points to 6. What time is it?
- Long hand at 6: half past.
- The short hand has passed 4, but not reached 5.
- It is 4:30, half past 4.
Answer: 4:30
Common mistake
At half past, reading the hour as the next number, so 4:30 becomes 5:30. The hour is the number the short hand has already passed.
For grown-ups: Ask your child to tell you the time at o’clock and half past moments in the day: lunch, bath, bedtime.