Math Is Fun Forum

Mayflow

Member

Registered: 2014-09-24

Posts: 14

When do hands of a clock meet?

Consider that the minute and hour hands of a clock are superimposed at 12 o'clock. Precisely when again will they meet hands again "be superimposed?".

Also when in each 12 hours will they be superimposed, and how many times in 12 or 24 hours will they superimpose?

Keep in mind that the minute hand travels at 360 degrees per minute and the hour hand travels 60 times slower.

anonimnystefy

Real Member

From: Harlan's World

Registered: 2011-05-23

Posts: 16,049

Re: When do hands of a clock meet?

Hi Mayflow

Does the fact that if they next meet at x degrees past 12, the minute hand travels 360+x degrees and the hour hand travels x degrees.

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Mayflow

Member

Registered: 2014-09-24

Posts: 14

Re: When do hands of a clock meet?

Hi Mayflow

Does the fact that if they next meet at x degrees past 12, the minute hand travels 360+x degrees and the hour hand travels x degrees.

Well that twisted my mind around, and was initially what I thought too.  A thing about this though is that the clock only goes 360 degrees, and the minute hand starts at 1 o'clock again at zero degrees.

So, I thought (instead of the minute hand traveling at 360+x degrees)  then of the ratio of an  hour hand traveling at 360-x degrees compared to the 360 degrees of the hour hand.
But Stefy, I think you are the right trail.

Last edited by Mayflow (2014-09-25 11:01:29)

Olinguito

Member

Registered: 2014-08-12

Posts: 649

Re: When do hands of a clock meet?

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[*]http://old.qi.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=869351#869351[/*]
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