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A watch which gains 5 seconds in 3 minutes was set right at 7 a.m. In the afternoon of the same day, when the watch indicated quarter past 4 o'clock, the true time is: 
  • a)

  • b)
    4 p.m.
  • c)
  • d)
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Aditya Kumar answered
Time from 7 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. = 9 hours 15 min = 37/4 hours
3 min 5 sec of this clock = 3 min. of the correct clock.
⇒ 37/720 hours of this clock = 1/20 hours of the correct clock
⇒ 37 hours of this clock = (1/20 x 720/37 x 37/4) hours of the correct clock.
= 9 hours of the correct clock.
∴ The correct time is 9 hours after 7 a.m. i.e., 4 p.m

The reflex angle between the hands of a clock at 10.25 is:
  • a)
    1800
  • b)
  • c)
    1950
  • d)

Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?


Angle traced by hour hand in 125/12 hrs = 
Angle traced by minute hand in 25 min = 
∴ Reflex angle = 3600

.

  • a)
    A
  • b)
    B
  • c)
    C
  • d)
    D
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Vikram Kapoor answered
15 past 5 means quarter past 5 = (5:15)
⇒ (11*15 - 60*5)/2 = 67.5

.

  • a)
    A
  • b)
    B
  • c)
    C
  • d)
    D
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Pragya Satiwal answered
Opposite time of 5 w.r.t to right angle is 8 then 8*60/11=480/11 so that time will be 480/11 min. past 5

The angle between the minute hand and the hour hand of a clock when the time is 4.20, is:
  • a)
    00
  • b)
    100
  • c)
    50
  • d)
    200
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Pooja Shah answered
The angle between hour and minute hand in 4:20 is 10 degrees.
For a minute, the hour hand rotates by 30/60 = 1/2 degrees.
hence, for 20 minutes it rotates by an angle of 20*1/2 = 10 degrees.

A clock is started at noom. By 10 mimutes past 5, the hour hand has turned through:
  • a)
    1450
  • b)
    1500
  • c)
    1550
  • d)
    1600
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?


Maya Menon answered
Angle traced by hour hand in 12 hrs = 360º.
Angle traced by hour hand in 5 hrs 10 min. i.e., 31/6 hrs 
= (360/12*31/6)°
= 155º

.

  • a)
    A
  • b)
    B
  • c)
    C
  • d)
    D
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

When the hands of the clock are in the same straight line but not together, they are 30 minute spaces apart.
At 7 o'clock, they are 25 min. spaces apart.
 Minute hand will have to gain only 5 min. spaces.
55 min. spaces are gained in 60 min.
5 min. spaces are gained in 
∴ Required time =  min. past 7.

At 3:40, the hour hand and the minute hand of a clock form an angle of
  • a)
    135°
  • b)
    130°
  • c)
    120°
  • d)
    125°
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Pankaj Nambiar answered
Angle between hands of a clock 


When the minute hand is behind the hour hand, the angle between the two hands at 
M
minutes past
H
 'o clock
When the minute hand is ahead of the hour hand, the angle between the two hands at
M
 minutes past
H
 'o clock

What is the angle between the hands at 4.40?
  • a)
    95°
  • b)
    100°
  • c)
    120°
  • d)
    110°
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Amrutha Kumar answered
Angle between hands of a clock 


When the minute hand is behind the hour hand, the angle between the two hands at 
MM
 minutes past 
HH
 'o clock
When the minute hand is ahead of the hour hand, the angle between the two hands at 
MM
 minutes past 
HH
 'o clock
Here H = 4, M = 40 the minute hand is ahead of the hour hand. Hence the angle

How many times will the hands of a clock coincide in a day?
  • a)
    24
  • b)
    20
  • c)
    22
  • d)
    21
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Pankaj Nambiar answered
The hands of a clock coincide 11 times in every 12 hours (Between 11 and 1, they coincide only once, at 12 o'clock).
12:00 am

1:05 am

2:11 am

3:16 am

4:22 am

5:27 am

6:33 am

7:38 am

8:44 am

9:49 am

10:55 am

12:00 pm

1:05 pm

2:11 pm

3:16 pm

4:22 pm

5:27 pm

6:33 pm

7:38 pm

8:44 pm

9:49 pm

10:55 pm


Hence the hands coincide 22 times in a day.


This is already given as a formula and it's is better to learn the answer by heart as 22 which can save time in competitive exams.(However you should know the theory behind).

A watch which gains uniformly is 2 minutes low at noon on Monday and is 4 min. 48 sec fast at 2 p.m. on the following Monday. When was it correct?
a) 2 p.m. on Tuesday
  • b) 2 p.m. on Wednesday
  • c) 3 p.m. on Thursday
  • d) 1 p.m. on Friday
Correct answer is option `B`. Can you explain this answer?

Ishani Rane answered
Time from 12 p.m. on Monday to 2 p.m. on the following Monday = 7 days 2 hours.
=170 hours.
The watch gains
= (2 + 4 x4/5)min
= 34 / 5 min.in 170 hrs.
Now,34/5 min are gained in 170 hrs.
2 min are gained in(170x 5/34 x2)hrs.
Watch is correct 2 days 2 hrs. after 12 p.m. on Monday
i.e., it will be correct at 2 p.m.on Wednesday.

A clock is started at noon. By 10 minutes past 5, the hour hand has turned through
  • a)
    155°
  • b)
    145°
  • c)
    152°
  • d)
    140°
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

We know that angle traced by hour hand in 12 hrs = 360° 


Time duration from noon to 10 minutes past 5

= 5 hours 10 minutes
Hence the angle traced by hour hand from noon to 10 minutes past 5

Find the time between 4 and 5'o clock, when the two hands of a clock are 4 minutes apart?
  • a)
  • b)
  • c)
  • d)
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Dipika Gupta answered
At 4 o' clock, the hands are 20 minute spaces apart.


To get the first 4 min spaces between the hands ,the minute hand has to gain 20 - 4 = 16 minute spaces over the hour hand.


To get the second 4 min spaces between the hands ,the minute hand has to gain 20 + 4 = 24 minute spaces over the hour hand.


In 60 minutes, minute hand gains 55 minute spaces over the hour hand.


Time taken for gaining 16 minute spaces by minute hand

While determining the boiling point of water, the teacher suggested adding some pumice stone pieces to the hard glass test tube containing water. This was done to :
  • a)
    avoid bumping
  • b)
    avoid melting of the hard glass test tube
  • c)
    prevent unnecessary loss of heat energy
  • d)
    spread the heat uniformly.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?

Radha Iyer answered
Pumice stone is added to facilitate bubbles so that "Bumping." can be prevented. It frequently happens, especially when the distillation has to be carried out under greatly reduced pressure, that the liquid is liable to boil with bumping. Thus we can measure the boiling point of water more accurately.

At what time between 4 and 5 o'clock will the hands of a watch point in opposite directions?
  • a)
  • b)
  • c)
  • d)
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

The two hands of a clock will be in the same straight line but not together between 
HH
and 
(H+1)(H+1)
 o' clock at
Here H = 4. Hands of the watch will point in opposite directions at 

The minute hand of a clock overtakes the hour hand at intervals of 65 minutes. How much a day does the clock gain or loss?
  • a)
  • b)
  • c)
  • d)
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?

Pankaj Nambiar answered
If the minute hand of a clock overtakes the hour hand at intervals of 
MM
 minutes of correct time, the clock gains or loses in a day by
Here M = 65. The clock gains or losses in a day by

Chapter doubts & questions for Clocks - CSAT Preparation 2025 is part of UPSC CSE exam preparation. The chapters have been prepared according to the UPSC CSE exam syllabus. The Chapter doubts & questions, notes, tests & MCQs are made for UPSC CSE 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, notes, meanings, examples, exercises, MCQs and online tests here.

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