🕐 Time and the 24-Hour Clock

What your child will learn

• Students will be able to read and write time in the 24-hour clock format (00:00 to 23:59).
• Students will be able to convert between 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats, including a.m. and p.m.
• Students will be able to calculate the duration between two given times, including across hours and the 12-hour/24-hour boundary.
• Students will be able to read and interpret a timetable to answer questions about start times, end times, and durations.
• Students will be able to convert between days, weeks, months, and years, and identify leap years.

Lessons in this unit

1. Reading the 24-hour clock: Introduce the 24-hour clock as a way to avoid a.m./p.m. confusion. Learn to read times from 00:00 to 23:59, with emphasis on afternoon/evening hours (13:00 to 23:00).
2. Converting between 12-hour and 24-hour clock: Learn the rules for converting: a.m. times (except 12 a.m.) stay the same; p.m. times add 12 (except 12 p.m. stays 12). Practice both directions.
3. Durations across hours: Calculate the time between two given times, including crossing hour boundaries and using both 12-hour and 24-hour formats. Use number lines and subtraction.
4. Reading timetables: Read and interpret timetables (train, bus, school) using 24-hour clock. Answer questions about departure, arrival, and duration.
5. Days, weeks, months, years, and leap years: Understand relationships between days, weeks, months, years, and leap years. Convert between units and identify leap years.

Key words

24-hour clock

A way of telling time where the hours go from 00 to 23, used in trains and flights.

a.m.

Time from midnight to noon, like morning time.

p.m.

Time from noon to midnight, like afternoon and night time.

duration

How long something lasts, like the time between start and end.

timetable

A chart that shows when things happen, like train or school times.

leap year

A year with 366 days, when February has 29 days. It comes every 4 years.

Help your child at home

What to watch for

13:00 is 1:00 p.m. but written as 13:00 p.m.

Help: In the 24-hour clock, we do not use a.m. or p.m. 13:00 already means 1:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m. converts to 00:00.

Help: 12:00 p.m. is noon, so it stays 12:00 in 24-hour clock.

Subtract minutes first: 9:30 to 2:15 is 7 hours 15 minutes (2:15 - 9:30 = 7:15).

Help: Use a number line: from 9:30 to 2:15 is 4 hours 45 minutes. Count on from 9:30 to 2:30 (5 hours) then back 15 minutes.

In a timetable, the departure time is always earlier than the arrival time.

Help: Some trains cross midnight, so arrival may be next day. Check if arrival time is less than departure.

Try this at home

• Read a digital clock showing 14:25 and say 'fourteen twenty-five'.
• Convert 3:45 p.m. to 24-hour: 15:45.
• Find duration from 10:20 a.m. to 1:05 p.m.
• Given a train timetable, find the duration of a specific train.

Quick questions to ask aloud

1. The 24-hour clock starts at ______ (midnight).
   Show answer

   The day starts at 00:00, which is midnight.
2. What is 4:15 p.m. in 24-hour clock? (16:15 / 14:15 / 04:15)
   Show answer

   For p.m., add 12 to the hour: 4 + 12 = 16, so 16:15.
3. If a class starts at 9:00 a.m. and lasts 45 minutes, at what time does it end? ______
   Show answer

   9:45 a.m.. Add 45 minutes to 9:00, which gives 9:45.

Parent guide: how to help your child with Class 5 Maths

Frequently asked questions

What will my child learn in "Time and the 24-Hour Clock" (Class 5 Maths)?

Your child will be able to: read and write time in the 24-hour clock format (00:00 to 23:59).; convert between 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats, including a.m. and p.m.; calculate the duration between two given times, including across hours and the 12-hour/24-hour boundary.; read and interpret a timetable to answer questions about start times, end times, and durations.; convert between days, weeks, months, and years, and identify leap years..

How does MangoMindz teach "Time and the 24-Hour Clock"?

In 5 short parts (Reading the 24-hour clock, Converting between 12-hour and 24-hour clock, Durations across hours, Reading timetables, Days, weeks, months, years, and leap years). Each part has a picture-based lesson read aloud by Mango Teacher, a quick check, and a quiz built from common mistakes children make, with Mango, a study buddy, for questions.

How long does "Time and the 24-Hour Clock" take?

About 120 minutes in total, spread over 5 parts of 15–25 minutes each.

How can I help my child with "Time and the 24-Hour Clock" at home?

Work through a small example together, such as: Read a digital clock showing 14:25 and say 'fourteen twenty-five'.; Convert 3:45 p.m. to 24-hour: 15:45.. Then ask a quick question aloud: The 24-hour clock starts at ______ (midnight).

What mistakes do children often make in "Time and the 24-Hour Clock"?

13:00 is 1:00 p.m. but written as 13:00 p.m. Fix: In the 24-hour clock, we do not use a.m. or p.m. 13:00 already means 1:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. converts to 00:00. Fix: 12:00 p.m. is noon, so it stays 12:00 in 24-hour clock. Subtract minutes first: 9:30 to 2:15 is 7 hours 15 minutes (2:15 - 9:30 = 7:15). Fix: Use a number line: from 9:30 to 2:15 is 4 hours 45 minutes. Count on from 9:30 to 2:30 (5 hours) then back 15 minutes.

Is "Time and the 24-Hour Clock" free on MangoMindz?

Yes. Every lesson part and quiz in "Time and the 24-Hour Clock" is free on MangoMindz, with no ads.