Grade 3 › G3U12 Time: Telling Time

Grade 3 › G3U12 Time: Telling Time › L2
GRADE 3 · ALBERTAOUTCOME AB-G3-3T1

L2 · Minutes past the hour and minutes until the next hour

Learning goal

“I can read a clock two ways: as minutes past the hour (like '15 minutes past 7') and as minutes until the next hour (like '15 minutes until 8') - and I know the two numbers always add to 60.”

Minutes past — how many minutes have gone by since the hour started. "20 minutes past 4" is 4:20.
Minutes until — how many minutes are left before the next hour starts. "10 minutes until 5" is 4:50.
Next hour — the hour that is coming. After 4 comes 5, so at 4:50 the next hour is 5.
On the hour — exactly at the start of an hour, when the minute hand points at 12: 3:00, 7:00.
Worked example

Read this clock: the hour hand is just past 7, and the minute hand points at 3. Step 1: The hour hand is just past 7, so the hour is 7. Step 2: The minute hand counts by 5s. At the 1 it means 5 minutes, at the 2 it means 10 minutes, at the 3 it means 3 × 5 = 15 minutes. Step 3: Say it two ways: the time is 7:15, and it is "15 minutes past 7." Say it plainly: the minute hand NEVER means its number as minutes. Multiply the number by 5 - that is the minutes past the hour.

Check yourself — explain it

Why does a minute hand pointing at 5 mean 25 minutes, not 5 minutes?

Paired problem — example still visible

The hour hand is just past 4 and the minute hand points at 8. Write the time and say it as minutes past. -> 4:40 - 40 minutes past 4 (8 × 5 = 40)

Faded completion — last step is yours

"The minute hand points at 6. Minutes past the hour = 6 × 5 = ___ minutes." -> 30

Ready to practise?

10 scored questions with a 3-rung hint ladder. Mastery needs 8/10 plus both gate questions.

Start practice →Take the unit quiz