Convert 5 Minutes to Hours: Time Unit Conversion Problem

Q: Why is the answer a fraction instead of a decimal?

Fractions are often more precise than decimals! $ \frac{1}{12} $ is exact, while 0.0833... is rounded. Both represent the same value, but fractions show the exact relationship.

Q: How do I remember which way to set up the conversion?

Write the units you want on top and units you're converting from on bottom: $ \frac{\text{hours}}{\text{minutes}} $. This way, minutes cancel out and you're left with hours!

Q: Can I convert to decimal instead?

Absolutely! $ \frac{1}{12} = 0.0833... $ hours. However, if the answer choices are fractions, stick with fractions to avoid rounding errors.

Q: What if I need to convert hours back to minutes?

Use the reverse conversion factor: multiply by $ \frac{60 \text{ minutes}}{1 \text{ hour}} $. For example: $ \frac{1}{12} \times 60 = 5 $ minutes.

Time Unit Conversion with Fractional Results

$5min=?hr$

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Understand the problem

$5min=?hr$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we will convert 5 minutes into hours by using the basic time unit conversion factor:

Step 1: Identify the conversion factor.
Since 1 hour = 60 minutes, the conversion factor from minutes to hours is $\frac{1 \text{ hour}}{60 \text{ minutes}}$ .
Step 2: Apply the conversion factor.
Multiply the given time in minutes (5 minutes) by the conversion factor: $5 \, \text{minutes} \times \frac{1 \, \text{hour}}{60 \, \text{minutes}}$
Step 3: Simplify the expression.
Calculate: $\frac{5 \times 1}{60} = \frac{5}{60} = \frac{1}{12} \, \text{hours}$

Therefore, $5$ minutes is equivalent to $\frac{1}{12}$ hours.

The correct choice from the options provided is choice 3: $\frac{1}{12}$ .

Final Answer

$\frac{1}{12}$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Conversion Rule: 1 hour equals 60 minutes for all calculations
Technique: Multiply by $\frac{1 \text{ hour}}{60 \text{ minutes}}$ to convert minutes to hours
Check: Multiply answer by 60: $\frac{1}{12} \times 60 = 5$ minutes ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Using wrong conversion factor or direction
Don't multiply 5 × 60 = 300 hours! This uses the wrong direction and gives a massive incorrect result. Always multiply by the fraction that cancels unwanted units: minutes × $\frac{hours}{minutes}$ .

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 3hr=?min $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why is the answer a fraction instead of a decimal?

Fractions are often more precise than decimals! $\frac{1}{12}$ is exact, while 0.0833... is rounded. Both represent the same value, but fractions show the exact relationship.

How do I remember which way to set up the conversion?

Write the units you want on top and units you're converting from on bottom: $\frac{\text{hours}}{\text{minutes}}$ . This way, minutes cancel out and you're left with hours!

Can I convert to decimal instead?

Absolutely! $\frac{1}{12} = 0.0833...$ hours. However, if the answer choices are fractions, stick with fractions to avoid rounding errors.

What if I need to convert hours back to minutes?

Use the reverse conversion factor: multiply by $\frac{60 \text{ minutes}}{1 \text{ hour}}$ . For example: $\frac{1}{12} \times 60 = 5$ minutes.

Why don't I just divide 5 by 60?

You absolutely can! Dividing by 60 is the same as multiplying by $\frac{1}{60}$ . Both methods give $\frac{5}{60} = \frac{1}{12}$ hours.

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