UPSC Prelims 2006·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

A watch showed a time of fourteen minutes past nine (9 hrs and 14 minutes). The positions of the hour hand and the minute hand of the watch are exactly interchanged. The new time shown by the watch is closes to which one of the following?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. ATwelve minutes to three
  2. BThirteen minutes to three
  3. CFourteen minutes to threeCorrect
  4. DFifteen minutes to three

Explanation

To find the new time, we look at the positions of the hands at 9 hours and 14 minutes. The minute hand is at the 14 minute mark. In a standard clock, each minute mark represents 6 degrees. So, the minute hand is at 84 degrees from the 12 o clock position. The hour hand at 9 hours and 14 minutes has moved slightly past the 9 mark. Since the hour hand moves 0.5 degrees per minute, it is at 270 degrees plus 7 degrees, which equals 277 degrees. When the positions are interchanged, the new hour hand is at the 14 minute mark. This position is between 2 and 3 on the clock, meaning the new time starts with 2 hours. The new minute hand is at the 277 degree mark. To find the exact minute, we divide 277 by 6 degrees per minute, which is approximately 46.16 minutes. A time of 2 hours and 46 minutes is the same as 14 minutes to 3. Therefore, option C is the closest and correct answer.
science-and-technology: A watch showed a time of fourteen minutes past nine (9 hrs and 14 minutes). The positions of the hour hand and the minut
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