Hours Calculator

by
Hours Calculator
Calculate Time Difference (Elapsed Time)
AMPM
AMPM
Result:
Total Duration:
Decimal: hours
function calculateResult(){var h1=parseInt(document.getElementById('h1').value);var m1=parseInt(document.getElementById('m1').value)||0;var ampm1=document.getElementById('ampm1').value;var h2=parseInt(document.getElementById('h2').value);var m2=parseInt(document.getElementById('m2').value)||0;var ampm2=document.getElementById('ampm2').value;var brk=parseFloat(document.getElementById('break').value)||0;if(isNaN(h1)||isNaN(h2)){alert('Please enter hours for both start and end times.');return;}if(ampm1==='PM'&&h1<12)h1+=12;if(ampm1==='AM'&&h1===12)h1=0;if(ampm2==='PM'&&h2<12)h2+=12;if(ampm2==='AM'&&h2===12)h2=0;var startTotal=h1*60+m1;var endTotal=h2*60+m2;if(endTotal<=startTotal){endTotal+=(24*60);}var netMin=endTotal-startTotal-brk;if(netMin<0){alert('Break time cannot exceed duration.');return;}var hours=Math.floor(netMin/60);var mins=netMin%60;var decimal=(netMin/60).toFixed(2);document.getElementById('resHHMM').innerHTML=hours+' hours and '+mins+' minutes';document.getElementById('resDec').innerHTML=decimal;document.getElementById('answer').style.display='block';if(document.getElementById('steps').checked){document.getElementById('resDecBlock').style.display='inline';}else{document.getElementById('resDecBlock').style.display='none';}}

Hours Calculator Use

The hours calculator is a professional tool designed to help you quickly determine the exact time duration between two points in a day. Whether you are tracking work hours, calculating flight durations, or planning your study schedule, this tool provides precise results in both hours/minutes format and decimal format.

By accounting for breaks and the transition between AM and PM, our hours calculator ensures you get a net total that is accurate for payroll, invoicing, or time management purposes.

Start Time
The beginning hour and minute of the task or shift. Specify AM for morning and PM for afternoon/evening.
End Time
The conclusion hour and minute. If the end time is numerically lower than the start time (e.g., starting at 10 PM and ending at 6 AM), the calculator automatically assumes a next-day completion.
Break (Min)
Enter any unpaid breaks or downtime in minutes to subtract them from the total duration.

How the Hours Calculator Works

To calculate the time between two events, the hours calculator converts everything into a single unit (minutes) to handle the complexity of the 60-minute hour. The mathematical process follows these steps:

Net Time = (End Time – Start Time) – Break Duration

  • Step 1: Convert 12-hour clock times to 24-hour format (e.g., 2:00 PM becomes 14:00).
  • Step 2: Convert hours to total minutes (Hours × 60 + Minutes).
  • Step 3: Subtract the start minutes from the end minutes.
  • Step 4: Subtract any break time from the result.
  • Step 5: Convert the final minute count back into hours and minutes, or divide by 60 for the decimal result.

Calculation Example

Scenario: You start your workday at 8:45 AM, finish at 5:15 PM, and take a 45-minute lunch break.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Convert to 24-hour time: Start = 08:45, End = 17:15.
  2. Convert to minutes: Start = (8 × 60) + 45 = 525 min; End = (17 × 60) + 15 = 1035 min.
  3. Gross Duration: 1035 – 525 = 510 minutes.
  4. Subtract Break: 510 – 45 (Break) = 465 minutes.
  5. Final Conversion: 465 / 60 = 7.75 decimal hours.
  6. Result: 7 hours and 45 minutes (or 7.75 hours).

Common Questions

What is a decimal hours calculator?

A decimal hours calculator converts traditional minutes into a base-10 format. This is vital for payroll systems. For example, 30 minutes is 0.5 hours, and 15 minutes is 0.25 hours. Using the decimal format allows employers to multiply total hours by an hourly wage easily.

Does this calculator handle shifts that go past midnight?

Yes. Our hours calculator detects if the end time occurs before the start time numerically. If you enter a start time of 10:00 PM and an end time of 6:00 AM, the calculator assumes the end time is the following day and correctly calculates an 8-hour duration.

How do I convert minutes to decimal hours manually?

To convert any number of minutes to decimal hours, simply divide the minutes by 60. For example, 45 minutes / 60 = 0.75. Add this to your whole number of hours to get the total decimal figure used by this hours calculator.

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