Reading Clock to 5 Minutes
In Class 2, you learned to read the clock for the hour, half hour, and quarter hour. In Class 3, you learn to read time to the nearest 5 minutes.
A clock face has 12 numbers and 60 minute marks. The minute hand moves from one number to the next in 5 minutes. This pattern makes reading time in 5-minute intervals easy.
What is Reading Clock to 5 Minutes - Class 3 Maths (Time)?
Reading clock to 5 minutes means telling the time by looking at where the minute hand points. Since the 12 numbers on the clock divide 60 minutes into groups of 5, you count by 5s from 12.
Each number on the clock = 5 minutes
| Minute hand points to | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 00 | 05 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 |
Types and Properties
Two ways to say the time:
- Past the hour — used for the first 30 minutes: "10 minutes past 3" means 3:10.
- To the hour — used for the last 30 minutes: "20 minutes to 5" means 4:40.
Special times:
- 15 minutes past = quarter past
- 30 minutes past = half past
- 15 minutes to = quarter to
Solved Examples
Example 1: Read the Time — Past
Question: The hour hand is between 4 and 5. The minute hand points to 2. What time is it?
Think:
- Hour hand past 4 → the hour is 4.
- Minute hand at 2 → 2 × 5 = 10 minutes.
Answer: The time is 4:10 (10 minutes past 4).
Example 2: Read the Time — Half Past
Question: The hour hand is between 7 and 8. The minute hand points to 6. What time is it?
Think:
- Hour hand past 7 → the hour is 7.
- Minute hand at 6 → 6 × 5 = 30 minutes.
Answer: The time is 7:30 (half past 7).
Example 3: Read the Time — Quarter Past
Question: Hour hand is between 9 and 10. Minute hand points to 3. What time is it?
Think:
- Hour = 9, Minutes = 3 × 5 = 15.
Answer: The time is 9:15 (quarter past 9).
Example 4: Read the Time — 'To' the Hour
Question: The hour hand is between 2 and 3. The minute hand points to 9. What time is it?
Think:
- Hour hand past 2 → the hour is 2.
- Minute hand at 9 → 9 × 5 = 45 minutes past 2 = 2:45.
- Or: 60 − 45 = 15 minutes to 3 → "quarter to 3".
Answer: The time is 2:45 (quarter to 3).
Example 5: Draw Clock Hands
Question: Draw the hands for 6:20.
Think:
- Hour hand → between 6 and 7 (slightly past 6).
- Minute hand → at 4 (because 4 × 5 = 20).
Answer: Hour hand between 6 and 7; minute hand at 4.
Example 6: Word Problem — School Schedule
Question: Ria's maths class starts at 10:30. It lasts 40 minutes. What time does it end?
Think:
- 10:30 + 40 minutes
- 10:30 + 30 min = 11:00
- 11:00 + 10 min = 11:10
Answer: The class ends at 11:10.
Example 7: Word Problem — Morning Routine
Question: Aman wakes up at 6:15. He takes 25 minutes to get ready. What time is he ready?
Think:
- 6:15 + 25 = 6:40
Answer: Aman is ready at 6:40.
Example 8: Count by 5s
Question: The minute hand moves from 12 to 7. How many minutes have passed?
Think:
- Count by 5: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35.
- 7 numbers × 5 = 35 minutes.
Answer: 35 minutes have passed.
Example 9: Write in Digital Form
Question: Write "twenty-five minutes past 3" in digital form.
Think:
- 25 minutes past 3 = 3:25
Answer: 3:25.
Example 10: 'To' the Hour — Digital Form
Question: Write "10 minutes to 8" in digital form.
Think:
- 10 minutes to 8 → 60 − 10 = 50 minutes past 7.
- 7:50
Answer: 7:50.
Key Points to Remember
- The minute hand moves to the next number every 5 minutes.
- Count by 5s from 12: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60.
- Quarter past = 15 minutes past, half past = 30 minutes past, quarter to = 15 minutes to the next hour.
- The hour hand moves slowly — it is between two numbers for most of the hour.
- Read the hour hand first, then the minute hand.
- "Minutes to" uses the next hour: 20 to 5 = 4:40.
- One full turn of the minute hand = 60 minutes = 1 hour.
Practice Problems
- The minute hand points to 5 and the hour hand is between 3 and 4. What time is it?
- Write 'quarter past 11' in digital form.
- Write '20 minutes to 6' in digital form.
- Priya starts homework at 4:15 and finishes at 5:00. How long did she work?
- Draw clock hands for 8:35.
- The minute hand moves from 12 to 9. How many minutes have passed?
- Dev's cricket practice starts at 3:40 and lasts 55 minutes. What time does it end?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I read time to 5 minutes?
Look at where the minute hand points. Multiply that number by 5 to get the minutes. Then read the hour from the hour hand.
Q2. Why does each number on the clock represent 5 minutes?
There are 60 minutes in an hour and 12 numbers on the clock. 60 ÷ 12 = 5. So each number is 5 minutes apart.
Q3. What does 'quarter past' mean?
It means 15 minutes past the hour. A quarter of 60 is 15. For example, quarter past 8 = 8:15.
Q4. What does 'half past' mean?
It means 30 minutes past the hour. Half of 60 is 30. For example, half past 9 = 9:30.
Q5. What does 'quarter to' mean?
It means 15 minutes before the next hour. Quarter to 5 means 4:45.
Q6. How do I convert 'minutes to' into digital time?
Subtract from 60 and use the previous hour. '20 minutes to 4' = 60 − 20 = 40 minutes past 3 = 3:40.
Q7. Where does the hour hand point at 3:25?
Between 3 and 4, slightly closer to 3. The hour hand moves slowly throughout the hour.
Q8. Is reading clocks to 5 minutes covered in NCERT Class 3?
Yes. NCERT Class 3 Maths teaches reading time to the nearest 5 minutes, using both analog clocks and digital time formats.
