Question

Convert the following traditional times to military (international) times. \(4: 30 \mathrm{PM}=\)

Short answer

4:30 PM is 16:30 in military time.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Military Time Format

Military time, also known as the 24-hour clock, doesn't use AM or PM. Instead, it runs from 00:00 to 23:59, with numbers greater than 12 up to 23 denoting the PM hours in traditional time.

Convert the Hours

For times in the PM (after 12 noon), add 12 to the hour to convert it to military time. At 4 PM, the hour is 4. Adding 12 gives us 16.

Keep the Minutes Unchanged

The minutes part remains the same as in traditional time. In this example, 30 minutes past the hour remains 30 in both traditional and military time.

Write the Military Time

Combine the converted hour with the minutes to form the military time. Here, 4:30 PM converts to 16:30 in military time.

Key concepts

Military Time

Military time is a way of expressing time using a 24-hour format. Unlike traditional time, which uses 12-hour cycles with AM and PM to differentiate between morning and evening, military time runs sequentially from 00:00 to 23:59. This format is often used in various professions to eliminate confusion between morning and evening hours, ensuring clear communication.

To understand military time, it's important to know that:

• 00:00 represents midnight.
• 12:00 represents noon.
• Numbers from 13:00 to 23:59 are used to denote the PM hours.

In military time, when converting a PM hour, you simply add 12 to the time. For instance, 4:30 PM in traditional time converts to 16:30 in military time. This format is especially helpful in fields like aviation, logistics, and healthcare to avoid any misinterpretation of schedules and times.

24-Hour Clock

The 24-hour clock is another name for military time. It is a simple and efficient system where the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours. Each hour's time is expressed with two digits, starting with "00" for midnight up to "23" for the last minute of the day.

Some characteristics of the 24-hour clock include:

• It's used worldwide, especially in transportation and military.
• There is no need for AM or PM indicators, as each hour is unique.
• It helps avoid any potential errors in time communication.

For instance, under this system, you would convert 4:30 PM to 16:30, avoiding any possible confusion with 4:30 AM.

Traditional Time

Traditional time refers to the 12-hour clock format most commonly used in daily life in many regions like the United States. It segments the day into two rounds of 12 hours each, using "AM" and "PM" to distinguish between morning and afternoon/evening times.

Here are some key aspects of traditional time:

• The cycle runs from 1 AM to 12 PM for morning/early afternoon.
• It starts over from 1 PM to 12 AM for afternoon and evening.
• Commonly used in business, media, and general public spaces.

In traditional time, you'd see a start time of "12 AM" denoting midnight, and "12 PM" as noon. Converting to military time or 24-hour format often requires changes, such as adding 12 to PM hours (e.g., 4:30 PM becomes 16:30).