Some People Can't Tell Time?


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I can barely read analog clocks even though I learned back in SK... sad I know... Thats why I only use digital clocks (phone, pc, watch, etc). and usually avoid getting asked the time...

This is what I don't understand....How hard is it really to read an analog clock?

I bet I could teach it to someone who doesn't know how in less than 5 minutes.

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To read time on a anlog clock you do the following.

Basically each number represents one of two things. A) Hour B) Minutes

To figure out the minute multiply the number by 5....

For Example if the number is 3 multiply it by 5 to get 15, thus when the big hand is on the 3 it is 15 minutes of whatever hour it may be

Or if the number is 11 multiply it by 5 to get 55, thus when the big hand is on the 11 it is 55 minutes of whatever hour it may be.

If the big hand is between 3 and 4 we can figure out that the 3 represents 15 minutes and the 4 represents 20 minutes. Therefore we can conclude the minutes is more than 15 but less than 20, so probably 17 minutes (this depends on the position between the two number the big hand is on).

To figure out the hour look at the small hand. If the hand is exactly on the number, the hour is the number. However if the small hand is between two numbers it is the lowest of the two. For example if it is between 8 and 9, 8 is the smaller number and therefore it is 8 o'clock.

Hopefully this helps someone.

And for some practice: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/java/telling-time/

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I'm Ok with that ,i don't have any proplem with time and readanalog clocks ince i was 5 or 6 may be, i know teens at school 14 may be or 15 and can't write their names , so i'm not surprised now

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Is America really this stupid?

Of course it is. After a brief period of incredulity after reading your story, I realized that it wasn't really something I shouldn't have expected here in America. We live in a country were people are more interested in learning why Britney's in rehab for the 80th time than something that's actually, you know, worth learning. It's disgusting.

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I can read an analogue clock and know the time within seconds, but if I had to tell someone, it'd take me a few more to say what it is. But yes, I learnt this in Kinder so.... :p

Hey, at least now with Vista and the sidebar people have Analogue clocks again ;)

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So, who has looked at their watch to see the time, and within seconds someone asks you the time, but you still look at your watch again before telling them the time?

Oh, I have an even more annoying habit, I look at my watch if asked what the day was... every time :|

I have trouble reading 24 hour time, I need to calculate to 12.

If it's over 12:00 then subtract 12 from it :)

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If it's over 12:00 then subtract 12 from it :)

Or -2 and take away the first digit, but the point is, reading 24 hour time is not intuitive to me. To have a recognition of time I need to convert it to 12 hours.

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How does not being able to read an analogue clock testify at all to your intelligence? It's just a matter of practise, and some people just never use analogue clocks.

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How does not being able to read an analogue clock testify at all to your intelligence? It's just a matter of practise, and some people just never use analogue clocks.

I've learned how to tell time in the 1st grade, so it is extremely hard for to understand how someone can't tell time from an analog clock. I would think common sense would suggest that if there are 60 Minutes in a hour and there is a minute + hour hand on the clock you could assume that half way around the clock would be half an hour.

I would like to believe if I never used or seen an analog clock I could still figure out how one works.

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I have trouble reading 24 hour time, I need to calculate to 12.

actualy 24h time is perfect. i used to get confused by am/pm thing. but only when it was 12am or 12 pm :D

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This is what I don't understand....How hard is it really to read an analog clock?

I bet I could teach it to someone who doesn't know how in less than 5 minutes.

It's because I'm bad at math so it takes me longer.

I can bet you any money that someone who can't tell time with an analog clock is almost certainly bad at math.

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Heh, reminds me of that thing from Friends...

"Phoebe couldn't tell the time until she was 13!"

"For some people it's hard!"

ha ha, love the episode.

I have never really come across anyone that can not tell the time. I do not think it is just Americans but anyone, strange as this may seem.. But I find that being able to tell the time is just a symbol factor of life that you need to no and have.

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I can read analog clocks, it just takes me a little longer as I never really learned them due to having had digital watches from an early age.....

And as for what FusionOpz said, I am bad at math too :laugh:

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I've never bothered to learn 24 hour clock.

If I see it, I'll think 'Right, so that's 7PM in 12 hour..'

So whenever I see one I pretty much ignore it. And refer to my 12 hour watch instead. :p

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what about the people who just look at you funny when you tell them is "10 of 4" or "quarter past 3"

10 of 4? Not heard that one before. Is that 10 past 4 or 10 to 4?

Or -2 and take away the first digit

But the first digit represents 10 units. 10+2 units make 12, so you are still subtracting 12 :p

Anyone that can't read a clock is a complete and utter retard.

:laugh:

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A lot of people were bewildered in high school whenever they looked at my watch. We had a red digital clock in every hallway so yeah, for me it was a convenience though I still wear an analog watch on me at all times. But many people still don't know how to tell time...

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