Lesson 6.4 · Measurement and Time
Telling time to the half hour
You can tell time when it is exactly on the hour. Now let's read the clock when it is halfway to the next hour.
Half past
The long hand takes one hour to go all the way around the clock. When it has gone halfway around, it points down to 6. That is half past the hour.
The short hand moves too. At half past, it is halfway between two numbers.
Time to the half hour
When the long hand points to 6, it is half past. The hour is the number the short hand just passed. Write it as the hour, then :30.
Why 30? There are 60 minutes in an hour. Half of 60 is 30. So half past 3 is 3:30.
Worked example: Read the clock
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The long hand points to 6. The short hand is between 9 and 10. It just passed 9. It is half past 9, or 9:30.
Worked example: Lunch time
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The long hand points to 6. The short hand is between 12 and 1. It just passed 12. It is 12:30.
Worked example: Half an hour later
It is 🕔 5:00. What time will it be in half an hour?
The long hand moves halfway around, from 12 down to 6. It will be 5:30.
Common mistake
At 7:30, the short hand is between 7 and 8. Don't say 8:30! Pick the number the short hand already passed, which is the smaller one. (At 12:30, it has passed 12 and is heading to 1.)
Practice
What time is it? Write it like 5:30.
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Type your answer
What time is it? Write it like 5:30.
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Type your answer
Which clock shows 10:30?
At half past any hour, which number does the long hand point to?
Type a number.
The short hand is between 4 and 5. The long hand points to 6. What time is it?
It is 🕗 8:00. What time will it be in half an hour? Write it like 5:30.
Type your answer
It is 🕦 11:30. What time will it be in half an hour? Write it like 5:00.
Type your answer
Lily eats breakfast at 7:00. She leaves for school half an hour later. Which clock shows when she leaves?