Quantitative Aptitude · Reasoning

Time and Clocks

491 Questions

Time and clocks problems evaluate quantitative aptitude by testing concepts on clock gains, losses, and relative speeds of hands. Questions also cover global time zones and standard time calculations. These logical reasoning topics frequently appear in SSC and banking exams.

Clock gain or lossTime zonesAngle between handsStandard time calculationPrecise time measurement

Time and Clocks Questions

Multiple choice general knowledge

At noon and midnight the hour and minute hands are exactly coincident with each other. How many other times between noon and midnight do the hour and minute hands cross?

  1. Five

  2. Eight

  3. Nine

  4. Ten

  5. Eleven
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The hour and minute hands coincide at noon (12:00) and midnight (0:00). Between noon and midnight, they cross 10 more times. This happens approximately every 65 minutes when the minute hand catches up to and passes the hour hand. The 11 crossings between noon and midnight occur at times like ~1:05, ~2:11, ~3:16, etc., with the 11th crossing happening at 12:00 (midnight).

Multiple choice general knowledge

At noon and midnight the hour and minute hands are exactly coincident with each other. How many other times between noon and midnight do the hour and minute hands cross?

  1. Five

  2. Eight

  3. Nine

  4. Ten

  5. Eleven
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Between noon and midnight, there are 12 hours. The minute hand completes 12 full rotations while the hour hand completes 1 rotation. The minute hand laps (crosses) the hour hand 11 times in those 12 hours. Since we want the times BETWEEN noon and midnight (excluding the endpoints where they're already together at noon and will be together at midnight), the answer is 10 crossings.

Multiple choice general knowledge

If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60 of a degree every minute how many degrees will the hour hand move in one hour?

  1. 360

  2. 270

  3. 180

  4. 90

  5. 60

  6. 1
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
F Correct answer
Explanation

The hour hand moves 1/60 of a degree per minute. In one hour (60 minutes), it moves 60 × (1/60) = 1 degree. This is a straightforward calculation - you just multiply the rate per minute by the number of minutes in an hour. The trick is realizing it's asking for the hour hand movement, not the minute hand which would move 360 degrees.

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

You went to bed at 9 o'clock and wound up your analog clock and set the alarm at 10 o'clock in the morning? How many hours could you sleep before the clock alarms?

  1. 13 hours

  2. 11 hours

  3. 12 hours

  4. 1 hour
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct answer is D. 1 hour.

If you went to bed at 9 o'clock and set the alarm for 10 o'clock in the morning, then you would sleep for 9 - 10 = 1 hour.

Option A is incorrect because it would mean that you slept for 13 - 9 = 4 hours before the alarm went off. However, this is not possible because 4 hours is less than the 9 hours between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock in the morning.

Option B is incorrect because it would mean that you slept for 11 - 9 = 2 hours before the alarm went off. However, this is not possible because 2 hours is less than the 9 hours between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock in the morning.

Option C is incorrect because it would mean that you slept for 12 - 9 = 3 hours before the alarm went off. However, this is not possible because 3 hours is less than the 9 hours between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock in the morning.

Therefore, the only possible answer is 1 hour.

Multiple choice general knowledge

The time taken by earth to complete one rotation :

  1. 24 hours

  2. 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds

  3. 24 hours, 20 minutes, 59 seconds

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Earth's actual rotational period (sidereal day) is 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4 seconds - the time to rotate 360 degrees relative to distant stars. The 24-hour day is the solar day (time between noons), slightly longer because Earth also orbits the Sun. Option C is the sidereal day with 1 extra rotation per year accounted for.

Multiple choice general knowledge

The earth rotates on its axis and the exact time needed for one complete rotation is

  1. 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.09 seconds

  2. 23 hours, 58 minutes, 29.5 seconds

  3. 23 hours, 59 minutes, 7.5 seconds

  4. 23 hours, 59 minutes, 18 seconds
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Earth's sidereal rotation period - the time for one complete rotation relative to distant stars - is 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. This is slightly shorter than the 24-hour solar day because Earth is also orbiting the sun, so it needs to rotate a bit extra to face the sun again.

Multiple choice general knowledge

The exact time taken by the earth for single rotation on its own axis is

  1. 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.09 seconds

  2. 23 hours, 58 minutes, 29.5 seconds

  3. 23 hours, 59 minutes, 7.5 seconds

  4. 23 hours, 59 minutes, 18 seconds
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A sidereal day is the exact time it takes for the earth to complete a single rotation on its axis relative to the stars, which measures precisely 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds.

Multiple choice general knowledge culture

Spot the odd one

  1. Eastern Time

  2. Western Time

  3. Pacific Time

  4. Central Time
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The official time zones in the contiguous United States are Eastern Time, Central Time, Mountain Time, and Pacific Time. 'Western Time' is not a standard U.S. time zone designation, making it the odd one out. The other three are recognized time zones.

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

If a clock takes six seconds to strike six times at six o'clock, how many seconds will it take to strike eleven times at eleven o'clock?

  1. 10

  2. 11

  3. 12

  4. 9
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The time is taken by the intervals between strikes. 6 strikes have 5 intervals, so each interval is 6/5 = 1.2 seconds. 11 strikes have 10 intervals. 10 intervals × 1.2 seconds = 12 seconds. 11 is a common distractor that ignores the interval logic.

Multiple choice general knowledge sports

Easy one - India

  1. GMT + 5:30

  2. GMT + 4:30

  3. GMT + 3:30

  4. GMT + 2:30
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

India follows Indian Standard Time (IST), which is GMT + 5:30. This means India is 5.5 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. The other options are incorrect as they don't match India's official time zone.