Time
Time zones
The world is divided into 24 time zones, so different places show different clock times at the same moment. Standard time is measured at Greenwich, England (Universal Time).
Ahead or behind
ā¢ A place that is AHEAD (+) shows a later time ā add the hours. ā¢ A place that is BEHIND (ā) shows an earlier time ā subtract the hours.
Worked examples
A place that is ahead
- It is 09:00 where you are.
- A city is 3 hours ahead, so add 3 hours.
Answer: It is 12:00 in that city.
A place that is behind
- It is 14:00 in London.
- New York is 5 hours behind, so subtract 5 hours.
Answer: It is 09:00 in New York.
Where you see this in real life
- Checking if it's a good time to phone family in another country.
- Knowing why it can be daytime for you and night-time for a friend abroad.
- Working out arrival times when travelling between countries.
Key words
- Time zone
- A region of the world that shares the same clock time.
- Universal Time (UT)
- The standard world time, measured at Greenwich, England.
- Ahead / behind
- A place ahead shows a later time; a place behind shows an earlier time.