Are you unsure about converting a time expressed in minutes into hours? Do not worry! This is a simple calculation that you can perform in just a few steps. The general rule states that you must divide the minutes value by 60 and you will get the hours. This is because there are exactly 60 minutes in an hour.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Minutes to Hours
Step 1. Start by considering the minutes
You can do this in several ways. For example, if you are doing the calculations by hand, you can write the number of minutes on a piece of paper labeled with the word "minutes". If you are using a calculator, simply type the value on the instrument.
For example, let's say we want to know the length in hours of a 150-minute movie. In this case, start by noting 150 minutes. In just a few steps you will have solved the problem!
Step 2. Multiply the value by the fraction "1 hour / 60 minutes"
Next, write (or type) the multiplication sign (×) and then the fraction 1 hour / 60 minutes. This fractional number shows how many minutes there are in an hour (60). By performing this multiplication, you will get the result expressed in the correct unit of measurement, since the "minutes" will cancel out.
This operation is equivalent to divide by 60/1 that is 60. If you need help doing divisions and multiplications, this wikiHow article is for you.
Step 3. Solve the operation
Now you just have to apply some arithmetic. The solution will tell you the number of hours you want to know.
According to the previous example, the film lasts 150 minutes × 1 hour / 60 minutes = 2, 5 hours that is 2 1/2 hours. This procedure is equivalent to dividing 150 by 60 or simplifying the fraction 150/60.
Step 4. To return to the minutes, multiply the result by 60
Take the value expressed in hours and multiply it by 60 to return to the minutes. Technically you are doing the multiplication with the fractional number 60 minutes / 1 hour so that the units of "hour" cancel each other out.
Our example reads: 2.5 hours × 60 minutes / 1 hour = 150 minutes, exactly the starting value.
Step 5. If the time has been expressed in hours and minutes, consider only the latter
Sometimes an amount of time is indicated as: x hours and y minutes. In this case, just convert the "y minutes" portion to hours and then add the result to the "x hours". By doing so you will have the value expressed totally in hours.
Let's consider, for example, that we need to convert 3 hours and 9 minutes into hours only. To do this we need to figure out how many hours 9 minutes correspond to and then add this figure to 3 hours. In other words: 9 minutes × 1 hour / 60 minutes = 0, 15 hours + 3 hours = 3, 15 hours.
Method 2 of 2: Hours to Minutes
Step 1. Convert minutes to hours as explained above
Up to this point, the article has shown how to express a quantity of time expressed in minutes in hours. However, time quantities are often described as hours and minutes and it is important to know how to switch to this form. To get started, convert minutes to hours according to the method of the first section.
Here is an example problem. If we want to convert 260 minutes to hours, we need to multiply 260 minutes × 1 hour / 60 minutes = 4, 33 hours that is 4 1/3 hours.
Step 2. Multiply the decimal or fraction by 60
Unless you got an integer number of hours as a result, you should have a decimal or fractional part. This must be multiplied by 60. Leave the whole number as it is; you only have to deal with the "extra" decimal (or fractional) part. The resulting product has "minutes" as the unit of measurement.
- Always considering the previous example, we can multiply "0, 33" by 60; 0.33 × 60 = 20 minutes.
- If we had used the fraction instead of 0.33, we would still have gotten the same result. 1/3 × 60 = 20 minutes.
Step 3. Write the solution in hours and minutes
The product you just calculated represents the "minute" portion of your response. In fact you already know the "hours" part, it is the whole number you found with the first conversion. At this point write the solution expressed as "x hours and y minutes".
In our example, the first answer was 4.33 hours. We then found that "0.33" corresponds to 20 minutes, so the final solution is 4 hours and 20 minutes.
Advice
- Are you looking for an easier and faster way to do these calculations? Online calculators like this one will allow you to have the answer in a few moments.
- If you have a time expressed in minutes and seconds, then the calculation becomes slightly more complex. First divide the seconds by 60 to get the minutes. Add this value to the minutes you already know and finally divide the result by 60, so you know the hours.
