The 24-hour clock is widely used in hospitals and military settings to eliminate ambiguity that might arise from AM and PM notations. Instead of two 12-hour cycles, the 24-hour clock counts hours from 00 to 23. This means that midnight is represented as 0000, and noon is 1200.
For example, 1100 represents 11:00 AM, while 1800 represents 6:00 PM. This system helps avoid confusion, especially in fields where accurate timekeeping is critical, such as medical and aviation industries.
When using the 24-hour clock, it's important to remember:
- The first two digits represent the hour, ranging from 00 to 23.
- The last two digits represent the minutes, ranging from 00 to 59.
Understanding this format is fundamental when calculating time durations and activities scheduled within a day.