Clocks

In our world we have digital clocks (with digits like 0,1,2,3):

clock digital 12:34clock digital 12:33clock digital 5:08

And analog clocks (with hands):

clock analogclock analogclock analog

Digital Clocks

Digital Clocks show us the time using numbers, like this:

Hours : Minutes

Like this:

measure/images/clock-digital.js?w=200&mode=am

Examples:

clock digital 5:08
5 Hours and 8 Minutes
clock digital 9:36
9 Hours and 36 Minutes

Clocks with Hands

Clocks can also use hands to show us the Hours and Minutes. We call them "analog" clocks.

The Little Hand shows the Hours:

hour 2
2 Hours
Analog clock showing 5 o'clock
5 Hours

The Big Hand shows the Minutes:

Analog clock showing 30 minutes
30 Minutes
Analog clock showing 15 minutes
15 Minutes

Using both the Big Hand and Little Hand lets us know exactly what time it is:

time 2:30
2:30 or
Half-Past Two
time 5:15
5:15 or
Quarter-Past Five

The little hour hand doesn't sit still! It slowly creeps toward the next hour as the big minute hand goes around.

So at 2:30, the hour hand is halfway between the 2 and the 3.

Both Together

See both digital and analog styles on the Date and Time Clock.

Practice

Now you can:

1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 3646, 3647, 3648, 3649
Analog and Digital Clock Animation Time: AM/PM and 24 Hour Clock Adding and Subtracting Time Number Line Time Sun Clock World Time Zones Earth's Orbit and Daylight