Decimal to Time Converter
Because 7.75 hours is not the same as 7 hours 75 minutes, and someone's timesheet depends on knowing that.
Enter a decimal hour value, e.g. 7.75 or 1.5
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This tool converts decimal hours to hours and minutes, or hours and minutes back to a decimal. It works both ways, and it takes about two seconds.
Payroll software loves decimals. Humans don't. 7.75 hours looks like a typo until you realize it means 7 hours and 45 minutes. This comes up constantly on timesheets, invoices, and any system that stores time as a number rather than a clock. Type in the decimal and get the human-readable version, or go the other way if you need to enter time into a system that only accepts decimals.
How we work it out
Decimal to time: multiply the decimal by 60 to get total minutes, then split into hours and minutes. So 7.75 x 60 = 465 minutes, which is 7 hours and 45 minutes. Time to decimal: take the total minutes and divide by 60. So 7 hours 45 minutes = 465 minutes divided by 60 = 7.75.
Minutes to decimal hours
| Minutes | Decimal hours (2 places) | Exact |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 0.0833 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 0.1667 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 0.3333 |
| 25 | 0.42 | 0.4167 |
| 30 | 0.50 | 0.5 |
| 35 | 0.58 | 0.5833 |
| 40 | 0.67 | 0.6667 |
| 45 | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| 50 | 0.83 | 0.8333 |
| 55 | 0.92 | 0.9167 |
| 60 | 1.00 | 1 |
Most timesheets round to two decimal places, which can be a hundredth of an hour out.
How it's worked out
- To turn hours and minutes into a decimal, divide the minutes by 60 and add the result to the hours.
- To turn a decimal back into minutes, multiply the part after the point by 60.
7 hours 45 minutes is 7 plus 45 divided by 60, which is 7.75 hours. Going back, 0.75 times 60 is 45 minutes.
Common mistakes
- Reading 7.75 as 7 hours 75 minutes. It is 7 hours and 45 minutes.
- Rounding too early. Rounding each entry can add up to a noticeable difference by the end of the week.
- Using 0.30 for half an hour. Half an hour is 0.5.
Questions
Why do timesheets use decimal hours?
Because computers find it easier to do math with 7.75 than with "7 hours 45 minutes." Payroll systems multiply the decimal directly by an hourly rate, which is simpler than converting time first.
What does 0.25 hours mean?
15 minutes. Each quarter of an hour is 0.25. So 0.5 is 30 minutes, 0.75 is 45 minutes, and 1.0 is a full hour.
Can I convert hours over 24?
Yes. This tool isn't limited to a single day. If you worked 38.5 hours in a week, it'll tell you that's 38 hours and 30 minutes.
How do I turn minutes into a decimal?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5 and 45 minutes is 0.75.
How do I turn a decimal back into minutes?
Multiply the part after the point by 60. 0.1 of an hour is 6 minutes, and 7.75 hours is 7 hours and 45 minutes.
Why is 0.3 hours not 30 minutes?
Because an hour has 60 minutes, not 100. 0.3 of an hour is 18 minutes. Half an hour is 0.5.
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