Question 1

How many hours is 9 to 5?

Accepted Answer

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM is 8 hours. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch it is 7.5 hours of paid time, and 9 to 5:30 with the same lunch is the full 8 hours — which is why many “9 to 5” jobs actually run to 5:30.

Question 2

How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?

Accepted Answer

Divide the minutes by 60: 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 is 0.5, 45 is 0.75 and 20 minutes is 0.33. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. Payroll systems and timesheets use the decimal form because it multiplies directly by the hourly rate: 7.75 × $20 = $155.

Question 3

How does the calculator handle overnight shifts?

Accepted Answer

If the end time is earlier than the start time — 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, for example — it assumes the shift ends the next day and counts 8 hours. Shifts longer than 24 hours are not supported; split them into two entries.

Question 4

How many work hours are in a year?

Accepted Answer

2,080 for a full-time 40-hour week (40 × 52). That is the standard number used to turn an hourly wage into a salary: $25 an hour × 2,080 = $52,000. Subtracting two weeks of vacation and about 10 holidays leaves roughly 1,920 hours actually worked.

Question 5

Should I round hours on a timesheet?

Accepted Answer

Federal rules let employers round to the nearest quarter hour (the 7-minute rule: 7 minutes rounds down, 8 rounds up) as long as it is neutral over time. This calculator shows exact minutes; the time card calculator can apply quarter-hour rounding for you.

Start	End	Break	Paid hours	Per week (5 days)
9:00 AM	5:00 PM	30 min	7.5	37.5
9:00 AM	5:30 PM	30 min	8	40
8:00 AM	4:30 PM	30 min	8	40
8:00 AM	5:00 PM	60 min	8	40
7:00 AM	3:30 PM	30 min	8	40
7:00 AM	7:00 PM	60 min	11	55
6:00 AM	2:00 PM	0 min	8	40
3:00 PM	11:00 PM	0 min	8	40
11:00 PM	7:00 AM (next day)	0 min	8	40
10:00 AM	2:00 PM	0 min	4	20

Hours Calculator

Common shifts in hours

Minutes to decimal hours

Frequently asked questions

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