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jmc

prealgebra intermediate

Problem

At 3:20, what is the measure in degrees of the lesser angle formed by the hour hand and the minute hand?
Solution
At 3:20, the minute hand is at the 4, of the way around the clock, therefore, degrees from the top. The hour hand, at the beginning of the hour, started at the 3, but since we are of the way through the hour, the hour hand will have traveled the arc from 3 to 4. Therefore, the hour hand is another 10 degrees further clockwise, meaning the measure of the angle between the two hands is .
Final answer
20\text{ degrees}