By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

  • 1Read an analog clock to the nearest minute
  • 2Convert between 12-hour (AM/PM) and 24-hour formats: 2:30 PM = 14:30, 11:45 PM = 23:45
  • 3Calculate time duration: how many hours and minutes between two given times
  • 4Read a calendar: find the day for any date, calculate days between two dates
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Why this chapter matters
Class 4 Time refines clock reading to the exact minute and introduces the 24-hour clock (railway time). Children learn to convert between 12-hour (AM/PM) and 24-hour formats, calculate time intervals (how long from 9:15 AM to 2:30 PM?), and read calendars for date and day calculations.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

Time — Class 4 Mathematics (Samacheer Kalvi)

TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 4 Mathematics, Chapter 5. 12-hour and 24-hour time, elapsed time.


1. About this chapter

This chapter covers Time as part of the Class 4 Samacheer Kalvi Mathematics curriculum. It deals with 12-hour and 24-hour time, elapsed time and builds conceptual understanding essential for the TN School Term Exam.

By the end of this chapter, students will be able to:

  • Read and write time in 12-hour and 24-hour formats
  • Calculate elapsed time

2. Key concepts

  • Concept 1: Read and write time in 12-hour and 24-hour formats.
  • Concept 2: Calculate elapsed time.

3. Important terms and formulas

Term / FormulaDescription
Read and write time…Read and write time in 12-hour and 24-hour formats
Calculate elapsed time…Calculate elapsed time

4. Worked examples

Example 1. Applying a key concept from this chapter.

Solution: Identify the relevant principle → apply the formula or rule → state the answer with correct units.

Example 2. A typical exam-style question on time.

Solution: Break the problem into steps, use the appropriate formula and verify the answer.

5. Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Skipping units or forgetting to state them. Fix: Always write units alongside every quantity and answer.
  • Mistake: Confusing similar terms or concepts in this chapter. Fix: Make a comparison table of the terms during revision.

6. Practice (exam-style)

  1. Define the main term or principle covered in Chapter 5.
  2. Give two real-life examples related to time.
  3. Solve a short numerical or descriptive question from this chapter.
  4. State one important formula and explain each symbol.

7. Answer key (hints)

  1. Refer to section 2 (Key concepts) above for the definition.
  2. Examples should be drawn from daily experience and local context.
  3. Apply the formula from section 3, show all steps clearly.
  4. Formula with units — refer to the textbook glossary for symbol meanings.

8. Quick revision

  • Class 4 Mathematics — Chapter 5: Time.
  • Core idea: 12-hour and 24-hour time, elapsed time.
  • Key outcomes: Read and write time in 12-hour and 24-hour formats; Calculate elapsed time.
  • Always revise diagrams / tables from the Samacheer Kalvi textbook before the exam.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

24-hour conversion
12-hour to 24-hour AM: same (8:00 AM = 08:00). PM: add 12 to the hour (except 12 PM = 12:00). 2:30 PM = 14:30, 9:15 PM = 21:15. 12:00 AM (midnight) = 00:00.
Indian Railways uses 24-hour time. A ticket showing 14:30 means 2:30 PM. This avoids confusion between AM and PM.
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Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT
Converting 12:00 PM as 00:00
12:00 PM (noon) = 12:00 in 24-hour. 12:00 AM (midnight) = 00:00. Noon stays 12.
Verified by the tuition.in editorial team
Last reviewed on 3 June 2026. Written and reviewed by subject-matter experts — read about our process.
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