Clock and Calendar Tips and Tricks for Government Exams

Clock & Calendar

The integration of clocks and calendars is employed to address diverse time-related issues encompassing days, weeks, months, and years. This often demands a comprehension of both timekeeping and date-keeping systems.

Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for Clock & Calendar Questions

Clock & Calendar Tricks

• 100 years give us 5 odd days as calculated above.
• 200 years give us 5 x 2 = 10 – 7 (one week) 3 odd days.
• 300 years give us 5 x 3 = 15 – 14 (two weeks) 1 odd day.
• 400 years give us {5 x 4 + 1 (leap century)} – 21} (three weeks) 0 odd days.
• Month of January gives us 31 – 28 = 3 odd days.
• Month of February gives us 28 – 28 = 0 odd day in a normal year and 1 odd day in a leap year and so on for all the other months.

Type 1: Tips and Tricks for Clocks

Q1: What is the angle between the minute hand the hour hand when the time is 4:30.
(a) 35⁰
(b) 10⁰
(c) 20⁰
(d) None of the above
Ans: (a)
Tip: It is easy to calculate the angle between the minute and the hour hand by using a simple formula,
Angle = (X*30)-((Y*11)/2)
Multiplying hours with minutes, we get = 4 x 30 = 120
Applying the formula, we get (Yx11)/2
= 30 x 11/ 2
= 165
When we subtract the two values, we get,
= 165 – 130
= 35⁰

Type 2: Tips ad Tricks for Clocks

Q2: Calculate the time between 6 and 7   o’clock when the hands of a clock are in the same straight line but are not together?
(a) 65.45 min past 6
(b) 60 minutes past 6
(c) 50 minutes past 6
(d) Cannot be determined
Ans: (a)
Tip: You can use a short formula to calculate the time when the angle is given 
Angle =  (minutes) -30 (hours)
Using the above formula, we get
180 =  (minutes) -30 (hours)
180 =   (minutes) – 30 (6)
180 + 180 =  minutes
Minutes = 2 x 360/ 11
= 65.45

Type 1: Calendars Tips and Tricks

Q1: Find the day for a given date ,What was the day on 26th May 2006?
(a) Monday
(b) Friday
(c) Wednesday
(d) Saturday
Ans: (b)
26 May 2006 = (2005 years + time period from 1/1/2006 to 26/5/2006)
To calculate number of odd days till the year 2000, we require
Number of odd days in 1600 years = 0
Number of odd days in 400 years = 0
In the next step, for calculating odd days in the next five years,
5 years = (4 ordinary years + 1 leap year)
= 4 +2
= 6 odd days
Now, we have to calculate the number of odd days from 1st January 2006 to 26th May 2006.
January (31 days) + February (28 days because 2006 is not a leap year) + March (31 days) + April (30 days) + May 26 days = 146 days
Total number of odd days in 146 days = (146/7) = 20 weeks + 1 odd day
Total number of odd days in the entire period = 0 (1600 years) + 0 (400 years) + 5 (5 years) + 0 (time from 1/1/2006 to 2/2/2006) = 5 odd days
According to the table, on 26th May 2006, the day was Friday.

Type 2: Calendar Tips and Shortcuts

Q2: Find out a day when some other day is given ,It was Friday on 7th December 2007. What was the day on 7th December 2006?
(a) Tuesday
(b) Monday
(c) Friday
(d) Thursday
Ans: (d)
2006 was not a leap year
Hence, the number of odd days is 1
Now 7th December 2007 will be 1 day beyond the day on 7th December 2006 due to one odd day.
Since, 7th December 2007 was a Friday, hence, 7th December 2006 was a Thursday.

Type 3: Tips and Tricks for Calendar

Q3: Which year after 2005 will have the same calendar as of 2005?
(a) 2011
(b) 2022
(c) 2015
(d) 2054
Ans: (a)
The given year is 2005 which is not a leap year
We add 11 years to the given year and get (2005 + 11) = 2016 which is a leap year
Also add 6 years to the given year (2005 + 6) = 2011
Hence, the calendar for 2005 will be same as for the year 2011.