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Telling the Time Trivia Quiz

This quiz has some fun questions dealing with the face of a clock. If you know how to tell time, this should come easy to you. If you are learning (this is a quiz for children), then it will help you think where the hands of a clock should be.

A multiple-choice quiz by spaudrey. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
spaudrey

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
309,466

Updated
Aug 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2078

Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (7/10), rossian (8/10), Guest 104 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Someone tells you it's "half past eight". The big hand on the clock will be pointing at which number? Hint

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Question 2 of 10

2. Looking at the time, the big hand is pointing almost right at the number 11. But I don't see the little hand. It must be right behind the big hand. If it's morning, what time is it likely to be? Hint

6:11AM

10:54 AM

11:55 AM

Noon

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Question 3 of 10

3. Your hear the phrase "twenty to" followed by the hour number. What number will the big hand be pointing at? Hint

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Question 4 of 10

4. It's 11:35. Where is the big hand pointing? Hint

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Question 5 of 10

5. "Quarter to 5" would put the big hand on what number? Hint

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these times would have the big hand and the little hand pointing in exactly OPPOSITE directions? Hint

5:20 PM

3:30 PM

6:00 PM

11:11 PM

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Question 7 of 10

7. All of these words or phrases, when used, mean that the big hand would be on the 12, except one. Which word/phrase doesn't always mean the big hand is on the 12? Hint

Bedtime

Midnight

Noon

O'Clock

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Question 8 of 10

8. Giving me a little grace on the exact second, all of the answers for this question are a time in the day where the big and little hands are right on top of each other, except for one. Which doesn't follow this rule? Hint

9:48

12:12

3:16

6:33

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Question 9 of 10

9. It's a school day, and you're in school. Your teacher says it's "10 past the hour". Can you tell me where the little hand is pointing? Hint

Yes, it's just past the 2.

Yes, it's about halfway between the 8 and the 9.

Yes it's just before the 10.

No, not without guessing.

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Question 10 of 10

10. OK, the last question deals with digital clocks, and is a little more of a brain teaser. Which one of the following times has the most lines on your digital clock lit up? Hint

12:08

8:08

10:08

8:58

Most Recent Scores

Apr 18 2024 : Guest 68: 7/10
Apr 17 2024 : rossian: 8/10
Apr 13 2024 : Guest 104: 8/10
Apr 08 2024 : Guest 49: 4/10
Apr 03 2024 : Kat1982: 7/10
Apr 02 2024 : jasa9092: 8/10
Mar 16 2024 : Guest 78: 5/10
Mar 14 2024 : toddruby96: 8/10
Mar 02 2024 : violinsoldier: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Someone tells you it's "half past eight". The big hand on the clock will be pointing at which number?

Answer: 6

"Half past" is a phrase meaning halfway through the hour. Halfway through the hour is 30 minutes, which directs the minute hand at the 6.

Answer: 10:54 AM

At 10:54, both hands would be just before the 11 on your clock. This occurs both at 10:54 AM and 10:54 PM.

3. Your hear the phrase "twenty to" followed by the hour number. What number will the big hand be pointing at?

Answer: 8

"Twenty to" (some people say "twenty until", or "twenty 'til" informally) means it is twenty minutes until the top of the hour. That makes it 40 minutes past the hour, and that would put the big hand right on the number 8.

4. It's 11:35. Where is the big hand pointing?

Answer: 7

35 minutes past the top of the hour, in this case, 11, puts the big hand squarely on the 7, just past the "bottom of the hour".

5. "Quarter to 5" would put the big hand on what number?

Answer: 9

If you divide the clock face into quarters like a compass, the horizontal cut runs right through the 3 and the 9. If we said "Quarter PAST 5, the big hand would be on the 3. In this case, "quarter to 5", the big hand is on the 9.

6. Which of these times would have the big hand and the little hand pointing in exactly OPPOSITE directions?

Answer: 6:00 PM

Whether it was AM or PM wouldn't actually matter. But of the choices given, 6:00 is the correct choice. This time would put the big hand on the 12 (pointing straight up), and the little hand on the 6 (pointing straight down).

7. All of these words or phrases, when used, mean that the big hand would be on the 12, except one. Which word/phrase doesn't always mean the big hand is on the 12?

Answer: Bedtime

Midnight and noon mean the time is 12:00. "O'clock" is a shortened way of saying "on the clock", and has come to mean the top of the hour, such as saying "3 o'clock". A phrase like "3:30 o'clock" is incorrect. Proper usage of "o'clock" would have the time at the top of the hour.

Answer: 12:12

12:12 would create an acute angle with the big hand and little hand. All the rest, within reason, would have the two hands in the same position.

9. It's a school day, and you're in school. Your teacher says it's "10 past the hour". Can you tell me where the little hand is pointing?

Answer: No, not without guessing.

Unless you already knew what time it was, you can't definitively say where the little hand was just from the phrase "10 past the hour". If you were in school, the time could be 8:10 AM, 9:10 AM, 10:10 AM, 11:10 AM...about any time up to 4:10 pm. Now the BIG hand will be on the 2, but with the information given, the little hand could be about anywhere.

10. OK, the last question deals with digital clocks, and is a little more of a brain teaser. Which one of the following times has the most lines on your digital clock lit up?

Answer: 10:08

While the number "8" would light up all seven lines in that digital space for the hour, the number 10 requires eight lines...two for the "1", and six for the "0". The "0" comes in second, along with the "6" and the "9", for most lighted up lines, with six.

But the second to the last number on the time can't ever be a "6" or a "9", so that digit needs to be a "0". And since the last digit can be an "8", that logically stays an "8". So, all total, there are 21 lines needed for the time if the time was 10:08.

Source: Author spaudrey

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor NatalieW before going online.
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