Maths

Time

Class 3

🎯 Learning Objectives

Read time on a clock using the hour hand and minute hand.
Tell time as o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to.
Understand the difference between AM and PM (12-hour clock).
Calculate duration or elapsed time (how long something takes).
Know the days of the week, months of the year, and their order.
Solve word problems related to school timetables, train timings, and daily routines.

📖 Introduction

Time helps us plan our day. We wake up at a certain time, go to school, eat lunch, play, and sleep — all at different times. A clock helps us read the time.

In India, school usually starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM. Trains run on a fixed timetable. Knowing how to read time helps us be punctual and plan our activities.

Let us learn how to read a clock, understand AM and PM, and calculate how long activities take!

Reading a Clock

A clock has two main hands:

Hand	What It Shows	How to Identify
Hour Hand (short hand)	The hour (1 to 12)	It is shorter and thicker
Minute Hand (long hand)	The minutes (0 to 60)	It is longer and thinner

The clock face has numbers from 1 to 12 arranged in a circle. The minute hand moves faster — it goes around the clock once every hour. The hour hand moves slowly — it takes 12 hours to go around once.

Important: There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. Each number on the clock represents 5 minutes for the minute hand (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60).

Labelled analog clock showing hour hand, minute hand and numbers 1-12

Telling Time: O'Clock, Half Past, Quarter Past, Quarter To

O'Clock (Exact Hour)

When the minute hand points to 12 and the hour hand points to a number, we say it is that number o'clock.

Examples

Hour hand on 8, minute hand on 12 → 8 o'clock (school starts!)

Hour hand on 2, minute hand on 12 → 2 o'clock (school ends!)

Hour hand on 7, minute hand on 12 → 7 o'clock (wake up time)

Half Past (30 minutes)

When the minute hand points to 6, it means 30 minutes have passed. We say "half past" the hour.

Examples

Hour hand between 8 and 9, minute hand on 6 → Half past 8 (8:30) — Assembly time!

Hour hand between 12 and 1, minute hand on 6 → Half past 12 (12:30) — Lunch break!

Quarter Past (15 minutes)

When the minute hand points to 3, it means 15 minutes have passed. We say "quarter past" the hour.

Examples

Hour hand just past 9, minute hand on 3 → Quarter past 9 (9:15)

Hour hand just past 4, minute hand on 3 → Quarter past 4 (4:15) — Snack time!

Quarter To (45 minutes)

When the minute hand points to 9, it means 45 minutes have passed (or 15 minutes are left for the next hour). We say "quarter to" the next hour.

Examples

Minute hand on 9, hour hand almost at 8 → Quarter to 8 (7:45) — Get ready for school!

Minute hand on 9, hour hand almost at 1 → Quarter to 1 (12:45)

Four clocks showing times for daily routine — wake up, school, lunch, bedtime

AM and PM — The 12-Hour Clock

A day has 24 hours, but a clock only shows 12 numbers. So the clock goes around twice in one day. To tell which half of the day we mean, we use AM and PM.

Term	Full Form	Time Period	Examples
AM	Ante Meridiem (before noon)	12:00 midnight to 11:59 in the morning	7:00 AM (wake up), 8:00 AM (school starts), 10:30 AM (break time)
PM	Post Meridiem (after noon)	12:00 noon to 11:59 at night	12:30 PM (lunch), 2:00 PM (school ends), 9:00 PM (bedtime)

Sita asks: "Is 12:00 noon AM or PM?" Answer: 12:00 noon is written as 12:00 PM. And 12:00 midnight is written as 12:00 AM.

Arjun's Daily Routine (Indian Context)

Time	Activity	AM or PM?
6:30	Wake up	AM
7:00	Brush teeth, bath	AM
7:30	Breakfast (poha/idli)	AM
8:00	School starts	AM
10:30	Tiffin break	AM
12:30	Lunch break	PM
2:00	School ends	PM
4:00	Play time / Games	PM
6:00	Homework	PM
8:00	Dinner	PM
9:00	Bedtime	PM

Duration / Elapsed Time

Elapsed time means how long something takes — the time between the start and the end of an activity.

Formula: Elapsed Time = End Time − Start Time

Example 1: School Duration

School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM.

From 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM = 6 hours. So school lasts 6 hours.

Example 2: Maths Class

Maths class starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 9:45 AM.

From 9:00 to 9:45 = 45 minutes. The maths class is 45 minutes long.

Example 3: Train Journey

The Rajdhani Express leaves Delhi at 4:30 PM and reaches Jaipur at 7:00 PM.

From 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM: 4:30 to 5:00 = 30 min, 5:00 to 7:00 = 2 hours. Total = 2 hours 30 minutes.

Example 4: Cooking Time

Meena's mother started cooking at 6:15 PM and finished at 7:00 PM.

From 6:15 to 7:00 = 45 minutes.

Tip: To find elapsed time, count forward from the start time to the end time. You can count hours first, then minutes.

Days, Weeks, Months, and Year

Days of the Week (7 days)

#	Day	Hindi Name
1	Monday	सोमवार (Somvaar)
2	Tuesday	मंगलवार (Mangalvaar)
3	Wednesday	बुधवार (Budhvaar)
4	Thursday	गुरुवार (Guruvaar)
5	Friday	शुक्रवार (Shukravaar)
6	Saturday	शनिवार (Shanivaar)
7	Sunday	रविवार (Ravivaar)

Remember: 1 week = 7 days. Most Indian schools have classes from Monday to Saturday (half day on Saturday).

Months of the Year (12 months)

#	Month	Days	Special Events (India)
1	January	31	Republic Day (26 Jan)
2	February	28 or 29	Basant Panchami
3	March	31	Holi, Exams
4	April	30	New session starts
5	May	31	Summer vacation
6	June	30	School reopens
7	July	31	Monsoon begins
8	August	31	Independence Day (15 Aug)
9	September	30	Teachers' Day (5 Sep)
10	October	31	Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra
11	November	30	Diwali, Children's Day (14 Nov)
12	December	31	Christmas, Winter vacation

Key Facts:

1 year = 12 months = 365 days (366 in a leap year)
February has 28 days normally, 29 days in a leap year
Months with 30 days: April, June, September, November
Months with 31 days: January, March, May, July, August, October, December

Rhyme to remember: "30 days has September, April, June, and November. All the rest have 31, except February alone, which has 28 days clear, and 29 in each leap year."

Word Problems (Indian Context)

Problem 1: School Timetable

Ravi's school starts at 8:00 AM. The first period is 45 minutes long. At what time does the first period end?

Solution: 8:00 AM + 45 minutes = 8:45 AM.

Problem 2: Train Timing

The Shatabdi Express departs from New Delhi at 6:15 AM and arrives in Agra at 8:10 AM. How long is the journey?

Solution: From 6:15 to 7:15 = 1 hour. From 7:15 to 8:10 = 55 minutes. Total = 1 hour 55 minutes.

Problem 3: Daily Routine

Anita wakes up at 6:30 AM. She takes 30 minutes to get ready and 15 minutes for breakfast. At what time does she leave for school?

Solution: 6:30 + 30 min = 7:00 AM (ready). 7:00 + 15 min = 7:15 AM (leaves for school).

Problem 4: Cricket Match

A cricket match started at 2:00 PM and ended at 5:30 PM. How long did the match last?

Solution: From 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM = 3 hours. From 5:00 to 5:30 = 30 minutes. Total = 3 hours 30 minutes.

Problem 5: Homework

Priya started her homework at 5:15 PM and finished at 6:45 PM. How long did she study?

Solution: From 5:15 to 6:15 = 1 hour. From 6:15 to 6:45 = 30 minutes. Total = 1 hour 30 minutes.

📝 Key Words

Word	Meaning
Hour Hand	The short hand on a clock that shows the hour
Minute Hand	The long hand on a clock that shows the minutes
O'Clock	Exact hour — minute hand points to 12
Half Past	30 minutes past the hour — minute hand points to 6
Quarter Past	15 minutes past the hour — minute hand points to 3
Quarter To	15 minutes before the next hour — minute hand points to 9
AM (Ante Meridiem)	Time from midnight (12:00) to just before noon (11:59)
PM (Post Meridiem)	Time from noon (12:00) to just before midnight (11:59)
Elapsed Time	The amount of time that passes between a start time and end time
Duration	How long an activity or event lasts

⭐ Key Points to Remember

A clock has 12 numbers. The short hand shows hours, the long hand shows minutes.
1 hour = 60 minutes. Each number on the clock = 5 minutes for the minute hand.
O'clock → minute hand on 12. Half past → minute hand on 6. Quarter past → on 3. Quarter to → on 9.
AM = midnight to noon. PM = noon to midnight.
Elapsed time = End time − Start time. Count hours first, then minutes.
1 week = 7 days. 1 year = 12 months = 365 days (366 in leap year).
February has 28 days (29 in a leap year). April, June, September, November have 30 days. The rest have 31.

Finished learning? Now test what you know!

🎯 Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

Answer these questions right here. You get instant feedback — no paper needed!

Score: 0 / 8

1. How many minutes are there in one hour?

1 hour = 60 minutes.

2. How many seconds are there in one minute?

1 minute = 60 seconds.

3. The short hand of a clock shows the:

The short hand is the hour hand; the long hand shows minutes.

4. "Quarter past 4" means the time is:

Quarter past 4 = 15 minutes after 4 = 4:15.

5. "Half past" means how many minutes after the hour? (digits)

Half past means 30 minutes after the hour.

6. How many hours are there in one full day?

One day = 24 hours.

7. How many days are there in a week?

A week has 7 days.

8. How many minutes are there in 2 hours? (digits only)

2 hours = 2 × 60 = 120 minutes.

✏️ Practice Questions

A. Fill in the Blanks (10 questions)

1. The short hand on a clock is called the hand.

2. The long hand on a clock is called the hand.

3. When the minute hand points to 12, we say it is .

4. Half past means minutes past the hour.

5. AM stands for .

6. PM stands for .

7. 1 hour = minutes.

8. 1 week = days.

9. 1 year = months.

10. February has days in a leap year.

B. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQ)

1. If the minute hand is on 6 and the hour hand is between 3 and 4, what time is it?

(a) 3 o'clock(b) Half past 3(c) Quarter past 3(d) Half past 6

2. School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM. How long is the school day?

(a) 4 hours(b) 5 hours(c) 6 hours(d) 7 hours

3. Which month has 28 or 29 days?

(a) January(b) February(c) March(d) April

4. 12:00 noon is written as:

(a) 12:00 AM(b) 12:00 PM(c) 0:00 AM(d) 0:00 PM

5. Quarter to 8 means:

(a) 8:15(b) 8:45(c) 7:45(d) 7:15

C. Word Problems

1. Ravi's tuition class starts at 4:30 PM and ends at 6:00 PM. How long is the class?

2. A train leaves Mumbai at 7:15 AM and reaches Pune at 10:45 AM. How long is the journey?

3. Meena started painting at 3:00 PM and finished at 4:20 PM. How long did she paint?

4. The school bus picks up Arjun at 7:30 AM. He reaches school at 8:00 AM. How long is the bus ride?

5. Sita's birthday is on 15th March. How many days are left from 1st March to her birthday?

D. True or False

1. The hour hand is longer than the minute hand.

2. 1 hour = 60 minutes.

3. 8:00 PM means 8 o'clock in the morning.

4. There are 7 days in a week.

5. April has 31 days.

E. Match the Following

Column A	Column B
1. Minute hand on 12	(a) Half past
2. Minute hand on 6	(b) Quarter to
3. Minute hand on 3	(c) 30 days
4. Minute hand on 9	(d) O'clock
5. April	(e) Quarter past

🎨 Activity — Make a Paper Clock!

Materials needed: A paper plate (or round cardboard), a pencil, a ruler, scissors, a brass paper fastener (split pin), and crayons.

Steps:

Take a paper plate or cut a circle from cardboard.
Write numbers 1 to 12 around the edge, like a real clock.
Cut two arrows from cardboard — one short (hour hand) and one long (minute hand).
Colour the hour hand red and the minute hand blue.
Attach both hands to the centre of the plate using a brass pin (split pin).
Now move the hands to show different times: 8 o'clock, half past 3, quarter to 7!

Challenge: Ask your friend to set a time on your paper clock. Can you read it correctly? Take turns!

Bonus: Write your daily routine with times (AM/PM) on the back of the plate.

Want to review the lesson again?

🎯 Learning Objectives

Read time on a clock using the hour hand and minute hand.
Tell time as o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to.
Understand the difference between AM and PM (12-hour clock).
Calculate duration or elapsed time (how long something takes).
Know the days of the week, months of the year, and their order.
Solve word problems related to school timetables, train timings, and daily routines.

📖 Introduction

Time helps us plan our day. We wake up at a certain time, go to school, eat lunch, play, and sleep — all at different times. A clock helps us read the time. In India, school usually starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM. Trains run on a fixed timetable. Knowing how to read time helps us be punctual.

Reading a Clock

Hand	What It Shows	How to Identify
Hour Hand (short)	The hour (1 to 12)	Shorter and thicker
Minute Hand (long)	The minutes (0 to 60)	Longer and thinner

There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. Each number on the clock = 5 minutes for the minute hand.

Telling Time: O'Clock, Half Past, Quarter Past, Quarter To

Time Type	Minute Hand Points To	Minutes Past	Example
O'Clock	12	0 minutes	8 o'clock (school starts)
Half Past	6	30 minutes	Half past 12 (lunch break)
Quarter Past	3	15 minutes	Quarter past 9 (9:15)
Quarter To	9	45 min (15 min to next hour)	Quarter to 8 (7:45)

AM and PM — The 12-Hour Clock

Term	Meaning	Time Period
AM	Ante Meridiem (before noon)	12:00 midnight to 11:59 morning
PM	Post Meridiem (after noon)	12:00 noon to 11:59 night

12:00 noon = 12:00 PM. 12:00 midnight = 12:00 AM.

Arjun's Daily Routine

Time	Activity	AM/PM
6:30	Wake up	AM
7:30	Breakfast	AM
8:00	School starts	AM
10:30	Tiffin break	AM
12:30	Lunch break	PM
2:00	School ends	PM
4:00	Play time	PM
6:00	Homework	PM
8:00	Dinner	PM
9:00	Bedtime	PM

Duration / Elapsed Time

Elapsed Time = End Time − Start Time

Ex 1: School: 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM = 6 hours
Ex 2: Maths class: 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM = 45 minutes
Ex 3: Train: Delhi 4:30 PM to Jaipur 7:00 PM = 2 hours 30 minutes
Ex 4: Cooking: 6:15 PM to 7:00 PM = 45 minutes

Tip: Count hours first, then minutes. Example: 4:30 to 7:00 → 4:30 to 5:00 = 30 min, 5:00 to 7:00 = 2 hrs. Total = 2 hrs 30 min.

Days, Weeks, Months, and Year

Days of the Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (1 week = 7 days)

Month	Days	Month	Days
January	31	July	31
February	28/29	August	31
March	31	September	30
April	30	October	31
May	31	November	30
June	30	December	31

1 year = 12 months = 365 days (366 in leap year). Feb = 28 days (29 in leap year).

Word Problems (Indian Context)

1. School Timetable: Ravi's school starts at 8:00 AM. First period is 45 min. Ends at 8:45 AM.
2. Train Timing: Shatabdi Express: Delhi 6:15 AM → Agra 8:10 AM. Journey = 1 hour 55 minutes.
3. Daily Routine: Anita wakes at 6:30 AM + 30 min (ready) + 15 min (breakfast) = leaves at 7:15 AM.
4. Cricket Match: 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM = 3 hours 30 minutes.
5. Homework: Priya: 5:15 PM to 6:45 PM = 1 hour 30 minutes.

📝 Key Words

Word	Meaning
Hour Hand	Short hand — shows the hour
Minute Hand	Long hand — shows the minutes
O'Clock	Exact hour (minute hand on 12)
Half Past	30 minutes past (minute hand on 6)
Quarter Past	15 minutes past (minute hand on 3)
Quarter To	15 minutes before next hour (minute hand on 9)
AM	Ante Meridiem — midnight to noon
PM	Post Meridiem — noon to midnight
Elapsed Time	Time between start and end of an activity
Duration	How long something lasts

⭐ Key Points to Remember

Short hand = hours. Long hand = minutes. 1 hour = 60 minutes.
O'clock → min hand on 12. Half past → on 6. Quarter past → on 3. Quarter to → on 9.
AM = midnight to noon. PM = noon to midnight.
Elapsed time = End time − Start time.
1 week = 7 days. 1 year = 12 months = 365 days (366 in leap year).
30-day months: April, June, September, November. Feb = 28/29 days.

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. The short hand on a clock is called the hand.

2. The long hand on a clock is called the hand.

3. When the minute hand points to 12, we say it is .

4. Half past means minutes past the hour.

5. AM stands for .

6. PM stands for .

7. 1 hour = minutes.

8. 1 week = days.

9. 1 year = months.

10. February has days in a leap year.

B. Choose the Correct Answer

1. Minute hand on 6, hour hand between 3 and 4. Time?

(a) 3 o'clock(b) Half past 3(c) Quarter past 3(d) Half past 6

2. School: 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Duration?

(a) 4 hours(b) 5 hours(c) 6 hours(d) 7 hours

3. Which month has 28 or 29 days?

(a) January(b) February(c) March(d) April

4. 12:00 noon is:

(a) 12:00 AM(b) 12:00 PM(c) 0:00 AM(d) 0:00 PM

5. Quarter to 8 means:

(a) 8:15(b) 8:45(c) 7:45(d) 7:15

C. Word Problems

1. Ravi's tuition class starts at 4:30 PM and ends at 6:00 PM. How long is the class?

2. A train leaves Mumbai at 7:15 AM and reaches Pune at 10:45 AM. How long is the journey?

3. Meena started painting at 3:00 PM and finished at 4:20 PM. How long did she paint?

4. The school bus picks up Arjun at 7:30 AM. He reaches school at 8:00 AM. How long is the bus ride?

5. Sita's birthday is on 15th March. How many days are left from 1st March to her birthday?

D. True or False

1. The hour hand is longer than the minute hand.

2. 1 hour = 60 minutes.

3. 8:00 PM means 8 o'clock in the morning.

4. There are 7 days in a week.

5. April has 31 days.

E. Match the Following

Column A	Column B
1. Minute hand on 12	(a) Half past
2. Minute hand on 6	(b) Quarter to
3. Minute hand on 3	(c) 30 days
4. Minute hand on 9	(d) O'clock
5. April	(e) Quarter past

🎨 Activity — Make a Paper Clock!

Materials: Paper plate or cardboard circle, pencil, ruler, scissors, brass pin, crayons.

Steps: (1) Cut a circle. (2) Write 1-12 around the edge. (3) Cut two arrows — short (hour) and long (minute). (4) Colour hour hand red, minute hand blue. (5) Attach with brass pin at centre. (6) Show different times!

Challenge: Ask a friend to set a time. Can you read it? Take turns!

You are viewing the worksheet layout. Click Print to save as PDF or print on A4 paper.

Time

🎯 Learning Objectives

📖 Introduction

Reading a Clock

Telling Time: O'Clock, Half Past, Quarter Past, Quarter To

O'Clock (Exact Hour)

Half Past (30 minutes)

Quarter Past (15 minutes)

Quarter To (45 minutes)

AM and PM — The 12-Hour Clock

Arjun's Daily Routine (Indian Context)

Duration / Elapsed Time

Days, Weeks, Months, and Year

Days of the Week (7 days)

Months of the Year (12 months)

Word Problems (Indian Context)

📝 Key Words

🎯 Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

✏️ Practice Questions

Time

Time (continued)

Time (practice)