What are analogue and digital clocks?
There are two types of clocks and they tell the time in different ways.
Analogue clocks have a face with numbers from 1 to 12 and two hands. The hands move and point to the numbers to show what time it is.
Digital clocks show the time using numbers on a screen.
Activity: What is analogue and digital time?
Complete this interactive activity to learn about analogue and digital time. Then put your knowledge to the test.
Analogue and digital time
Digital and analogue clocks both show the time but in different ways.
With digital clocks, people usually read the time as the hour followed by the minutes.
When looking at an analogue clocks people often use the words 'past' and 'to' when telling the time. For example, by using phrases such as 'quarter past', 'half past', and 'quarter to' can be used.
Both of the clocks below show that it is 'half past 7'.
This is because the minute hand has travelled halfway around the clock. 30 minutes is half of one hour, so you can say that it is half past 7.
When it is later than half past the hour, you can say the time in a different way.
The next set of clocks both show that it is '5 minutes to 4'.
When you look at the analogue clock, you can say that the time is 'five to 4'.
When you look at the digital clock, you can say that the time is 3:55.
Example 1
What time do both of these clocks show?
✓ Each clock shows it is 17 minutes past 6 or 6:17.
On the digital clock, the hour digit is 6 and the minute digits are 17.
On the analogue clock, the hour hand is past the 6 but not yet at the 7. The minutes hand is at the 17 minute mark.
Example 2
Do both of these clocks say that it is quarter past 12?
✓ Yes.
They both show that the time is quarter past 12.
On the analogue clock, the minute hand has travelled a quarter of the way around the face of the clock. The hour hand is pointing just past the 12, so it's quarter past twelve.
There are 60 minutes in an hour, and one quarter of 60 is 15. On the digital clock, you can see that it is 15 minutes past twelve, so you can also say that it is quarter past 12.
Example 3
Do these clocks both show the same time?
✓ Yes.
The two clocks show the same time.
Both clocks show that it is 10 minutes until 3 o'clock. You could also say it is ten to three.
On the analogue clock the hour hand is nearly at the 3. The minute hand shows there are ten minutes left until 3 o'clock.
On the digital clock you see how many minutes have past in the current hour. This digital clock shows that it is 50 minutes past 2 o'clock.
In 10 minutes, it will be 3 o'clock.
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More on Time
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- count5 of 6
- count6 of 6
- count1 of 6
- count2 of 6
