A.M. and P.M. — Cogito

Step 1: Let's Learn

Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.

A clock face shows 12 hours, but a day has 24. So every time happens twice.

The first half of the day is a.m.

A.m. means the hours from midnight until midday.

The second half is p.m.

P.m. means the hours from midday until midnight.

Why it matters

7 o’clock a.m. is breakfast. 7 o’clock p.m. is dinner. The clock looks the same.

Why a day needs two labels

A clock face shows 12 hours, but a day is 24 hours long. So the hands go round twice each day and every time appears twice. A.M. and P.M. say which of the two you mean.

Which is which

A.M. runs from midnight to just before noon — that is the morning. P.M. runs from noon to just before midnight — afternoon, evening and night. Breakfast is a.m.; dinner is p.m.

The two confusing moments

Noon is 12 p.m. and midnight is 12 a.m., which feels backwards to most people. If it matters, many people write "12 noon" and "12 midnight" instead, precisely because the labels are so easy to muddle.

Step 2: Try It Yourself

Tap and try it out.

This clock shows a morning time. The label says a.m.

Short hand: the hourLong hand: the minutes

7:30a.m.

This clock says half past 7 a.m..

Hour

Minutes

The same hands, but in the evening.

Short hand: the hourLong hand: the minutes

7:30p.m.

This clock says half past 7 p.m..

Hour

Minutes

Step 3: Watch an Example

One step at a time.

Watch Leo Sort Two Sevens

Leo sees 7:30 written down twice.

Step 1
He knows the clock hands would look identical for both.

Step 4: Your Turn

Practice makes it stick.

Getting Up

Problem 1 of 2

School starts at 9 o’clock in the morning. Is that a.m. or p.m.?

Bedtime

Problem 2 of 2

Bedtime is at 8 o’clock at night. Is that a.m. or p.m.?

Morning or Afternoon?

1 of 3

Lunch at 12:30 in the middle of the day.

2 of 3

Waking up at 6:45 before school.

3 of 3

How many hours are in a whole day?

Step 5: Quick Check

Show what you know.

Question 1 of 2

Is 3 o’clock in the afternoon a.m. or p.m.?

Question 2 of 2

How many times does the clock show 3 o’clock in one day?

What You Learned

A day has 24 hours but the clock shows 12.
A.m. is midnight to midday. P.m. is midday to midnight.
Every time on the clock happens twice a day.