Concept 2 of 6
Quarter Past & Five-Minute Time
Today's big idea
Each number the long hand passes is 5 minutes.
Long hand on 3 = quarter past = 15 minutes.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
Between o'clock and half past, the clock has more to say.
💡 Here's the trick
The long hand on 3 is quarter past (15 minutes); on 9 is quarter to (45 minutes). Each number the long hand passes is 5 minutes.
Long hand on 3 is quarter past. On 9 is quarter to. On 4 it is 20 minutes past, because 4 × 5 = 20.
✍️ Try it
Long hand on 3, short hand just past 6. What time is it? → quarter past 6.
⚠️ Watch out
Count the long hand's number times 5 to get the minutes.
Watch me solve one
Quanta solves it
“Watch how I think through one of these — then you try.”
THE PROBLEM
“The long hand points to 6. How many minutes past the hour is that?”
- 1
Each number is 5 minutes
Count by fives to the 6.
- 2
Do the count
6 × 5 = 30 minutes.
- 3
Answer ✓
30 minutes (half past)
Now you try one — same steps, different story 👇
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
Count by fives around the clock.
The long hand points to 3.
How many minutes past the hour?
3 × 5 = ?
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
The long hand points to 9. How many minutes past the hour is that?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!
Up next: AM, PM & the Day
AM before noon, PM after noon.