Time zones and world time
You learn what time it is in other countries by taking away or adding hours.
How to work it out
- Look at the time difference.
- To the west it is earlier: take away hours.
- To the east it is later: add hours.
day× 24hour× 60minute× 60second
A worked example
15:00 in the UK, New York is 5 hours earlier
- New York lies to the west: it is earlier there.
- Take the hours away from the time here.
- Work out: 15 − 5 = 10.
- In New York it is 10:00.
More examples
10:00 in the UK, Tokyo is 9 hours later
- Tokyo lies to the east: it is later there.
- Add the hours: 10 + 9 = 19.
- In Tokyo it is 19:00.
17:00 in the UK, Paris is 1 hour later
- Paris lies to the east: add 1 hour.
- Work out: 17 + 1 = 18.
- In Paris it is 18:00.
Try it yourself
Type the time (for example 14:00)
In the UK it is 11:00. In Sydney it is 10 hours later. What time is it there?
Type the time (for example 14:00)
In the UK it is 13:00. In Tokyo it is 9 hours later. What time is it there?
Watch out
You add hours for a city to the west, when it is earlier there.
Remember: to the west is earlier (take away hours), to the east is later (add hours).
Tips
- West is earlier (minus hours), east is later (plus hours).
Why it works
Because the earth spins, the sun rises at a different time everywhere. The earth is split into time zones. To the west it is earlier, and to the east it is later.