Converting Time and Calculating Time

Q: When do I multiply and when do I divide between units of time?

Multiply when you go from a larger unit to a smaller unit. This includes hours into minutes, and minutes into seconds. Divide when you go from a smaller unit to a larger unit, such as seconds into minutes. The conversion factor is 60 for these steps, and 24 between hours and days.

Q: How do I convert seconds into minutes?

Divide the number of seconds by 60, because every 60 seconds make 1 minute. For example, 300 seconds becomes 300 ÷ 60 = 5 minutes. You divide because you are converting from a smaller unit (seconds) to a larger unit (minutes). That step always uses division.

Q: What do I do when adding seconds gives a total over 60?

Exchange 60 of those seconds for 1 extra minute, and keep the remaining seconds. For example, 65 seconds becomes 1 minute and 5 seconds. Add the extra minute to your minutes total. Then write the answer using the new minutes total and the leftover seconds.

Q: How do I subtract times when the top seconds are smaller than the bottom seconds?

Borrow 1 minute from the top minutes column, and add 60 seconds to the top seconds. The minutes go down by 1, and the seconds go up by 60. You can then subtract the seconds normally, and finish by subtracting the minutes using the reduced top minutes total.

Key concept

Converting time swaps between hours, minutes and seconds. You multiply for a smaller unit and divide for a larger one, so 1 h = 60 min. Calculating time means adding or subtracting minutes and seconds separately.

Converting Time and Calculating Time - introduction visual

Video Lesson

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$Converting Time and Calculating Time poster$

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Flashcards

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Conversions between units of time showing 1 day equals 24 hours, 1 hour equals 60 minutes, and 1 minute equals 60 seconds.

Converting time examples with 2 hours equalling 120 minutes and 300 seconds equalling 5 minutes.

Adding time: 35 min 20 s + 20 min 45 s = 55 min + 65 s, then converting 65 s to 1 min 5 s, giving 56 min 5 s

Time difference: 56 min 5 s − 54 min 23 s, subtracting minutes and seconds separately with borrowing, result 1 min 42 s

What are Units of Time?

Time is measured in seconds (s), minutes (min), hours (h), and days.
The conversion rates you must know: $60 s = 1$ min, 60 $min = 1 h$ , and $24 h = 1$ day.

Practice Questions

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Q1Easy

How many minutes are in 2 hours?

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Interactive Activity

Converting time units and time calculation steps.

Select Base Unit

Equivalent Values

Seconds (s)

60 min× 60

3600

Minutes (min)

60m

Hours (h)

60 min÷ 60

Select a unit and drag the dial to see conversions.

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Students Also Ask

The questions students bump into most on this topic

What are the basic units of time and how do they relate?

The basic units used in everyday maths are seconds, minutes, hours, and days. 60 seconds make 1 minute, 60 minutes make 1 hour, and 24 hours make 1 day. These three relationships are all you need. With them, you can swap from one unit of time to another using multiplication or division.

When do I multiply and when do I divide between units of time?

Multiply when you go from a larger unit to a smaller unit. This includes hours into minutes, and minutes into seconds. Divide when you go from a smaller unit to a larger unit, such as seconds into minutes. The conversion factor is 60 for these steps, and 24 between hours and days.

How do I convert hours into minutes?

Multiply the number of hours by 60, because each hour contains 60 minutes. For example, 2 hours becomes 2 × 60 = 120 minutes. You multiply because you are converting from a larger unit (hours) to a smaller unit (minutes). That step always uses multiplication.

How do I convert seconds into minutes?

Divide the number of seconds by 60, because every 60 seconds make 1 minute. For example, 300 seconds becomes 300 ÷ 60 = 5 minutes. You divide because you are converting from a smaller unit (seconds) to a larger unit (minutes). That step always uses division.

What do I do when adding seconds gives a total over 60?

Exchange 60 of those seconds for 1 extra minute, and keep the remaining seconds. For example, 65 seconds becomes 1 minute and 5 seconds. Add the extra minute to your minutes total. Then write the answer using the new minutes total and the leftover seconds.

How do I subtract times when the top seconds are smaller than the bottom seconds?

Borrow 1 minute from the top minutes column, and add 60 seconds to the top seconds. The minutes go down by 1, and the seconds go up by 60. You can then subtract the seconds normally, and finish by subtracting the minutes using the reduced top minutes total.

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