Definition
Time
Time orders events, tells when they happen, and measures how long intervals last.
What it means
A clock answer and a duration answer are different. “3:20 p.m.” tells when something happens. “45 minutes” tells how long it lasts.
Remember it
When = clock time. How long = duration.
Example
Practice begins at 3:20 p.m. and lasts 45 minutes. The clock time is 3:20 p.m., the duration is 45 minutes, and the ending time is 4:05 p.m.
Watch for
A time such as 4:05 p.m. is not a duration; a duration is an amount such as 45 minutes.
Common mix-up
Clock numbers cycle after 12 or 24, so a calculation may need to cross an hour, noon, or midnight.
Exact meaning
Time is a measured quantity used to order events, identify when they happen, and measure intervals between them. Clock time names a position in a day; duration measures the length of an interval.