How to Calculate Time Duration
Knowing the exact duration between two points in time is useful for many everyday tasks, from tracking work hours to calculating travel time or sleep duration.
Using the Calculator
This tool is simple to use:
- Select Format: Choose between the standard 12-hour clock (AM/PM) or the 24-hour military time format.
- Enter Start Time: Input the hour, minute, and second when the activity began.
- Enter End Time: Input the hour, minute, and second when the activity ended.
The calculator automatically handles cases where the end time is on the next day (e.g., starting at 10 PM and ending at 2 AM).
Common Examples
| Start Time | End Time | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 8 hours |
| 10:30 PM | 6:15 AM | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| 1:00 PM | 1:45 PM | 45 minutes |
Calculating Work Hours
If you are using this tool to calculate payroll or shift hours, remember to subtract any unpaid breaks. For example, if the calculator shows a duration of 9 hours but you took a 1-hour unpaid lunch, your billable hours would be 8 hours.