You cut circles into halves. A clock face is a circle too.
Step 1: Let's Learn
Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.
Half way round
When the long hand has gone half way round, we say half past.
Watch the short hand
At half past 3, the short hand sits between the 3 and the 4.
It is still half past 3, because 3 already started. Write it as 3:30.
Why half past is halfway
The long hand has gone half the way round the face. That is the same halving you did with shapes, applied to a circle.
The short hand moves too
At half past three the hour hand sits between three and four, not on the three. It has been creeping the whole time.
Step 2: Try It Yourself
Move the minutes to 30 and watch the short hand slide.
Short hand: the hourLong hand: the minutes
This clock says half past 3.
Step 3: Watch an Example
One step at a time.
Watch Ana Read Half Past
The long hand points straight down. The short hand is between 3 and 4.
- Step 1
She sees the long hand has gone half way round.
Step 4: Your Turn
Practice makes it stick.
Lunchtime
Problem 1 of 1
The short hand is between 12 and 1, long hand down. Which hour?
Half Past
1 of 3
How many minutes is half an hour?
2 of 3
At half past 5, where is the short hand?
3 of 3
How is half past 8 written?
Step 5: Quick Check
Show what you know.
Question 1 of 2
How many minutes is half an hour?
Question 2 of 2
Short hand between 6 and 7, long hand down. What time?
What You Learned
- Half past means the long hand went half way round.
- The short hand sits between two numbers.
- Read the number it has already passed.
- Half past 3 is written 3:30.