Converting times between 12-hour (am/pm) and 24-hour formats in both directions.
Where your child meets this in real life: Converting between formats when planning journeys or scheduling events
SEAGReady breaks convert between time formats into 3 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Convert times between 1am-11:59am and 01:00-11:59 in both directions
Convert times between 1pm-11:59pm and 13:00-23:59 in both directions using add/subtract 12 rule
Convert times involving 12am (midnight hour) and 12pm (noon hour) correctly, recognizing exceptions to the add 12 rule
Three free sample questions from our convert between time formats course. Every question comes with a full explanation, and hints that guide without giving the answer away.
Sean has a swimming lesson at 8:30 am. The sports centre uses 24-hour time on their booking system. What time should Sean look for?
Answer: A. 08:30
8:30 am is a morning time. Morning times stay the same in 24-hour format. Add a leading zero: 8 becomes 08 Answer: 08:30
Stuck? Start here: Is 8:30 am in the morning or afternoon?
Conor's piano lesson finishes at 16:30. What time is this in 12-hour format?
Answer: A. 4:30 pm
16:30 is an afternoon time (16 is bigger than 12). Subtract 12 from the hour: 16 - 12 = 4 It's afternoon, so add 'pm' Answer: 4:30 pm
Stuck? Start here: Is 16 bigger than 12? That means it's an afternoon/evening time.
Ben's overnight ferry departs at 12:15 am. What is this time in 24-hour format?
Answer: A. 00:15
12:15 am is in the midnight hour (just after midnight). 12 am is a special case - it becomes 00 in 24-hour format. Keep the minutes the same. Answer: 00:15
Stuck? Start here: Is 12:15 am midnight or noon?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Aoife has a dentist appointment at 9:15 am. The receptionist writes it down in 24-hour time.
What time does the receptionist write?
9:15 am to 24-hour
Step 1 of 4
Aoife has a dentist appointment at 9:15 am. The receptionist writes it down in 24-hour time.
What time does the receptionist write?
The receptionist writes 09:15.
The key insight: Morning times just need a leading zero - no maths needed!
Watch out: 9:15 am = 9:15 (no leading zero). 24-hour time always uses two digits for hours: 01, 02, 03... up to 23.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in convert between time formats, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with convert between time formats? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.