7 CLOCK

INTRODUCTION
The hands of a clock can have a maximum
angle of 180o between them. When this
happens, both the hands represent a straight
line. 2) A clock has two hands, i.e. the hour
hand and the minute hand. The hands
move around the circular dial. The
hour hand is smaller and slower than
the minute hand. The hour hand
shows time in hours and the minute
The hands of a clock make right angles twice hand shows time in minutes.
every hour when they are 15 minutes away
from each other. 3) In an hour, the hour hand moves
forward one clock number and covers
5 minute spaces while the minute
hand moves forward twelve clock
numbers and covers 60 minute
spaces. Thus, in one hour, the minute
hand gains 55 minute spaces over the
The two hands of a clock coincide once in hour hand.
every hour.

4) The hour hand covers the

circumference of the clock in twelve
hours, so the angle traced by hour
hand in twelve hours is 360°. So, the
speed of the hour hand is 0.5° per
A clock is very essential for every human minute.
being to schedule their daily tasks. The clock
theory is related to everyday life.
5) The minute hand covers the
A clock is an instrument that displays time circumference of the clock in one
by dividing it into hours, minutes, and hour, so the angle traced by minute
seconds. hand in one hour (60 minutes) is 360°.
So, the speed of minute hand is 6° per
Dial minute.
It has a circular dial numbered from 1
to 12 that indicates the hours. The
circumference of a dial is further divided into
60 equal spaces, that are called the minutes’ 6) In every hour, the hour hand and
spaces. minute hand coincide once, i.e. if both
1 hour = 60 minutes the hands start from the same
1 minute = 60 seconds and 5
1 hour = 3600 seconds position, they will coincide after 65
11
minutes. In this position, they are 0°
apart.
Clocks Read Concepts Notes:
Points to remember: a) The hands of a clock coincide only
1) The circumference of the circular dial once between 11 O' clock and 1 O'
of a clock is divided into 60 equal clock, so they coincide 11 times in 12
divisions or parts. These equal hours and 22 times in 24 hours or one
divisions are known as minute spaces day.
or minute divisions.
b) The clock is too fast if the hands of the correct time is 6:00, it is said to be
5 20 minutes too fast. And, if it indicates
the clock coincide in less than 65 5:40, when the correct time is 6:00, it
11
minutes. is said to be 20 minutes too slow.

Some quicker methods:

c) The clock is too slow if the hands of 1) Hands of a clock will coincide between
5
the clock take more than 65
11
H and (H+1) O' clock at
minutes to coincide.
minutes past H O' clock.
2) The angle between the hands of a
clock will be 90° between H and (H+1)
12
O'clock at (5H ± 15)
11
7) In every hour, the hands of the clock minutes past H O' clock.
are straight and point in opposite
directions once. In this position, they
are thirty minute divisions apart.

8) Notes:
a) In 12 hours, the hands are
straight and in opposite 3) The hands of a clock will be in straight
direction 11 times, i.e. between line and point in opposite directions
5 and 7, they will be straight between H and (H+1) O' clock at (5H -
and in opposite direction only 12
30) minutes
once at 6 O' clock. 11
b) In 12 hours, the hands are in
straight line 22 times including 12
4) past H, when H > 6 and (5H+30)
both the positions, i.e. when 11
they coincide and when they minutes past H, when H < 6.
are in opposite directions. 5) When the minute hand is behind the
hour hand, the angle between the
9) In every hour, the hands are twice at hands of a clock at M minutes past H
the right angle and they are 15 O' clock is given by;
minute divisions apart in this position.
a) Note: In 12 hours, the hands
will be at right angle 22 times = 30 + degrees.
as between 11 and 12 and 6) When the minute hand is ahead of the
between 12 and 1, the hands hour hand, the angle between the
are at the right angle only hands of a clock at M minutes past H
once. O' clock is given by;
10) In every minute, the minute

hand moves through 6° and

= 30 - degrees.

the hour hand moves through 0.5°

PRACTICE QUESTIONS
. So the minute hand is 12 times Q.1 What is the angle between minute
as fast as the hour hand and gains
hand and hour hand at 4 : 40 ?
5.5° over the hour hand in one
A. 100° B. 20°
minute.
C. 80° D.136°
11) If a clock indicates 6:20, when Q.2 What is the angle between minute
 hand and hour hand at 8 : 48 ?
A. 56° B. 24°
C. 95° D. 96°

Q.3 What is the angle between minute

hand and hour hand at 6 : 24 ?
A. 12° B. 60°
C. 48° D. 144°

Q.4 The reflex angle between the

hand of a clock at 7 : 20 is ?
A. 100° B. 120°
C. 160° D. 260°

Q.5 The reflex angle between the hand

s of a clock at 6 : 30 is ?
A. 15° B. 60°
C. 195° D. 345°

Q.6 In a clock time shows 7 : 30, if

accordingly minute hand is at east
than in which
 direction is the hour hand ? Q.15 The angle between the hands of a
A. North west B. North east clock at 10 : 20 is ?
C. South west D. South west A. 190° B. 170°
C. 180° D. 40°
Q.7 At what time between 3 to 40’ clock
will the hands of a what be to g Q.16 An accurate clock shows 7 0’clock in
1 4
ether?

11 11
A. 3 : 49 B. 3 : 16 morning. Through how many degrees

11 1
will the hour hand rotate when the

8 21
C. 3 : 17 D. 3 : 6 clock shows 3 0’ clock in the
afternoon?
A. 120° B. 170°
Q.8 At what time between 6 to 70’ clock, C. 180° D. 240 °
will the hands of a watch be together?
Q.17 After how many minutes past 7, the hands
8 8
of

11 11
A. 6 : 49 B. 6 : 32 clock will from 90° angle for the second
8 11 time?
6 11
11 8
C. 6 : 30 D. 6 : 33
11 6
A. 7 : 54 : B. 7 : 54 :

Q.9 At what time between 8 to 9 0’ clock, 9

1
C. 7 : 21 : D. N.O.T
1
will the hands of clock point in

8 10
opposite direction?

11 11
A. 8 : 10 B. 8 : 10 Q.18 After How many minutes past 5, the
8 8 hands of clock will form 90° angles
11 11
C. 9 : 10 D. 8 : 9 for the first time?
6 11
11 10
A. 5 : 54 : B. 5 : 10 :
10
Q.10 At what time between 10 to 11 0’

11
clock will the hands of clock point in C. 5 : 10 : D. N.O.T
8 11
opposite direction?

11 9
A. 10 : 21 B. 10 : 21 Q.19 How many times are the hands of a
8 9 clock at right angles in a day?
11 11
C. 10 : 22 D. 10 : 21 A. 22 B. 44
C. 11 D. 24
Q.11 By looking in a mirror it appears that
it is 4 : 40 in the clock, what is the Q.20 At what angle the hands of a clock
real time? point towards each other in a day?
A. 7 : 40 B. 8 : 40 A. 450 B. 150
C. 7 : 20 D. 8 : 20 C. 300
D. 200

Q.12 By looking in a mirror it appears than Q.21 What is the angle between the two
it is 7 : 15 in the clock , what is real hands of a clock are inclined at 30
time ? minutes past 6?
A. 5: 45 B. 6 : 45 A. 450 B. 300
C. 7 : 45 D. 4 : 45 C. 600 D. 150

Q.13 By looking in a water it appears than Q.22 At what time between 9 and 10
it is 2 : 20 in the clock , what is the o’clock will hands of a watch be
real time? together?

1
A. 9 : 40 B. 4 : 10 A. 35 minutes past 9
C. 3 : 40 D. 3 : 10
 1
Q.14 By looking in a water it appears that B. 49 minutes past 9
1
2 minutes past 9
it is 8 : 35 in the clock , what is the

1
real time? C. 55
1 minutes past 9
A. 8 : 55 B. 4 : 45
C. 11 : 55 D. 9 : 55 1
1
D. 45
1
Q.23 How many degrees does an hour Q.30 How much does the clock gain or lose
hand covers in 20 minutes ? per day if its hands coincide every 69
A. 50 B. 100
80
minutes?
C. 150 D. 200
341
A. Gains in 80 minutes
Q.24 How many degrees does the minute 244
253
hand B. Gains in 92 minutes
80
25
covers, in the same time in C. Loses in 80 minutes
3
which the second hand covers

251
1800?

253
A. 180 B. 60 D. Loses in 73 minutes
C. 100
D. 30

Q.25 The angle between the two hands of a

Answer key
clock is 300, when the hour hand is Q.1 A Q.6 D Q.11 C Q.16 D Q.21 D Q.26D
between 5 and Q.2 B Q.7 B Q.12 D Q.17 A Q.22 B Q.27D
6. What time does the watch show? Q.3 C Q.8 B Q.13 B Q.18 C Q.23 B Q.28B
A. 5 hours 20 20 Minutes Q.4 A Q.9 B Q.14 D Q.19 B Q.24 D Q.29B
11
3
Q.5 A Q.10 D Q.15 A Q.20 B Q.25 D Q.30D
11 Minutes
B. 5 hours 27
C. 5 hours 30 30 Minutes
11
D. Both A and B

Q.26 How many time do the hands of a

clock coincide in a day?
A. 11 B. 12
C. 24 D. 22

Q.27 How many degrees does the minute

hand covers in, the same time, in
which the hour hand covers 200?
A. 1500 B. 2000
C. 1800 D. 2400

Q.28 Deepa notices the reflection of w wall

clock in a mirror. The time shown by
this clock when seen in the mirror is
9 hour 30 minutes. What is the actual
time shown on the clock?
A. 5 hours 30 minutes
B. 2 hours 30 minutes
C. 4 hours 20 minutes
D. 3 hours 20 minutes

Q.29 Two clocks are set correctly at 9 am.

on Monday. Both the clocks gain 3
minutes and 5 minutes respectively in
an hour. What time will the second
clock register if the first clock which
gains 3 minutes in an hour shows the
time as 27 minutes past 6 p.m. on the
same day?
A. 6.27 p.m B. 6.45 p.m
C. 6.25 p.m D. 6.50 p.m