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Tell time to five minutes, step by step

After the quarter hour, a clock is read in fives — the minute hand counted round the face in groups of five.

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The question
Time: ____ : ____ 123456789101112

Read the clock

short hand:the hour
long hand:the minutes
past10→ hour is10
points at:11
count in fives:5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55
hour:10
minutes:55
10:55
  1. Two hands, and they are read on two different scales — so take them one at a time, short hand first.
  2. The short hand is nearly at the 11 — and that is the trap. The hour is the number it has PASSED, not the one it is heading for. It has passed the 10, so it is 10 something.
  3. Now the long hand, pointing at the 11. That 11 is an HOUR number — for minutes each one is worth five, so count round in fives: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55.
  4. Hour 10, minutes 55 — 10:55.

How it works.

  1. 01

    Two hands, and they are read on two different scales — so take them one at a time, short hand first.

  2. 02

    The short hand is nearly at the 11 — and that is the trap. The hour is the number it has PASSED, not the one it is heading for. It has passed the 10, so it is 10 something.

  3. 03

    Now the long hand, pointing at the 11. That 11 is an HOUR number — for minutes each one is worth five, so count round in fives: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55.

  4. 04

    Hour 10, minutes 55 — 10:55.

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