I know how to tell time, but I just don't understand it when someone says it's "a quarter to 4" or it's "After 6 o' clock," and stuff like that. Does everyone have that kind of problem?? Because I don't remember ever learning how to tell time like that in grammar or elementary school.

Question

Vince · Answer

Eh, this is just a term of speech to denote different times. For instance, an hour is 60 minutes right? Well, if you broke it into 4 quarters it would be 15 mins each, so when someone says its "Quarter to", that means its 15 minutes away from being that hour. Example: its 4:45p.m. and you ask what time it is, I would answer its, "Quarter to" assuming you knew that it was at least past 4:00p.m., "half after" would be 30 mins after the current hour, so like half after 5 means 5:30. So its basically like applying mathematic terms to short sayings we use in everyday life to denote the time...

Mack · Answer

But could you give me some web sites on this subject to better help me understand??

Ms. Sue · Answer

These web sites will help you understand telling time better.

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/java/telling-time/

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/math-time.html

http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/preview/harcourt_math/tellingtime_splash2.html