Minute Hand — Definition, Formula & Examples
The minute hand is the longer hand on a clock face that shows how many minutes past the hour it is. It makes one full trip around the clock every 60 minutes.
On an analog clock, the minute hand is the longer of the two primary hands, rotating 360° per hour and indicating the current minute within the hour by its position relative to the 12 numbered markers on the dial.
How It Works
The minute hand points to the numbers 1 through 12 on the clock face. Each number represents 5 minutes, so when the minute hand points to the 3, it means 15 minutes past the hour. When it points straight up at the 12, it means exactly zero minutes past the hour. To find the exact minutes, count by 5s starting from the 12 and going clockwise until you reach where the minute hand is pointing. The small tick marks between numbers each represent 1 minute.
Worked Example
Problem: The hour hand is between the 2 and the 3, and the minute hand is pointing at the 4. What time is it?
Step 1: Read the hour hand first. It is past the 2 but has not reached the 3, so the hour is 2.
Step 2: Read the minute hand. It points at the 4. Count by 5s from the 12: 5, 10, 15, 20. The minute hand shows 20 minutes.
Step 3: Combine the hour and the minutes to read the time.
Answer: The time is 2:20.
Why It Matters
Reading an analog clock is a life skill you will use at school, in public places, and during timed tests. Understanding the minute hand also builds number sense with multiples of 5 and the concept of fractions of an hour.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing the minute hand with the hour hand because both look similar.
Correction: Remember that the minute hand is always the longer hand. The shorter, stubbier hand is the hour hand.