CalcHoursWhy 5 minutes is 0.08
Decimal hours express minutes as a fraction of 60, because an hour has 60 minutes: 5 ÷ 60 = 0.0833, which payroll rounds to 0.08. Five minutes is the smallest step most time clocks round to, and 0.08 is the figure that looks wrong on a pay stub until you check it: 5 ÷ 60 is 0.0833, and payroll keeps two places. Twelve of these make an hour, which is why five minutes is exactly one twelfth.
Hours and 5 minutes in decimal
| Time | Hours and minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1:05 | 1 h 5 min | 1.08 |
| 2:05 | 2 h 5 min | 2.08 |
| 3:05 | 3 h 5 min | 3.08 |
| 4:05 | 4 h 5 min | 4.08 |
| 5:05 | 5 h 5 min | 5.08 |
| 6:05 | 6 h 5 min | 6.08 |
| 7:05 | 7 h 5 min | 7.08 |
| 8:05 | 8 h 5 min | 8.08 |
| 9:05 | 9 h 5 min | 9.08 |
| 10:05 | 10 h 5 min | 10.08 |
| 11:05 | 11 h 5 min | 11.08 |
| 12:05 | 12 h 5 min | 12.08 |
The whole hours are unchanged; only the minutes are converted. So 8 hours 5 minutes is 8.08 hours, never 8.05. The hours to decimal calculator converts any hh:mm value and back.
5 minutes under payroll rounding
| Convention | 5 minutes becomes | Decimal |
|---|---|---|
| Exact (hundredths) | 5 min | 0.08 |
| Tenths of an hour (6-minute steps) | 6 min | 0.1 |
| Quarter hours (15-minute steps, 7-minute rule) | 0 min | 0.00 |
Rounding to tenths or quarters is permitted under 29 CFR 785.48(b) when it averages out over time. 5 minutes is 5 minutes from the nearest quarter hour, so a quarter-hour clock drops that much on every punch that lands here. The time clock calculator applies each convention to real punches.
What 5 minutes is worth
| Hourly rate | 5 minutes |
|---|---|
| $15.00 | $1.25 |
| $20.00 | $1.67 |
| $25.00 | $2.08 |
| $30.00 | $2.50 |
| $50.00 | $4.17 |
Multiply the decimal by the rate: 0.08 × $20.00 = $1.67. At time and a half the same 5 minutes of overtime pay 0.08 × $30.00 = $2.50. Over a 5-day week, 5 unpaid minutes a day are 0.42 hours, and over a year of 250 workdays 20.8 hours.
Other values: 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes, 55 minutes. The full minute-by-minute chart is on the minutes to decimal page.
Frequently asked questions
What is 5 minutes in decimal?
0.08 hours. Divide the minutes by 60: 5 ÷ 60 = 0.0833, which payroll rounds to two places. As a fraction it is 1/12 of an hour. Any whole number of hours plus 5 minutes is that number plus 0.08: 3 hours 5 minutes is 3.08 hours.
Is 5 minutes 0.05 of an hour?
No. 0.05 of an hour would be 3 minutes, because decimal hours are hundredths of 60 minutes, not minutes. 5 minutes is 0.08 of an hour. Writing minutes after a decimal point is the most common timesheet error and understates the time by 2 minutes.
How much is 5 minutes of overtime?
0.08 hours at the overtime rate. At a regular rate of $20.00 and time and a half, the overtime rate is $30.00 and 5 minutes pay $2.50. Overtime is measured in exact minutes unless the employer uses a lawful rounding rule, so 5 minutes over 40 hours in a workweek is 0.08 overtime hours.
Related calculators
- Minutes to DecimalMinutes become decimal hours when you divide by 60: 20 minutes is 0.33, 45 minutes is 0.75. Type a time above for the exact figure, or read it off the chart for every minute from 1 to 60.
- Hours to Decimal Calculator and Minutes to Decimal ChartEnter a time in hours and minutes to get decimal hours, or enter decimal hours to get hours and minutes. The chart below lists every minute from 1 to 60.
- Time Clock CalculatorEnter your clock-in and clock-out punches, with lunch as a second pair, and get hours worked in hours and minutes and in decimal, exact or rounded the way a time clock rounds. Add a rate for pay.
- Work Hours CalculatorEnter your start time, end time and unpaid breaks to get hours worked for a day, a week or a pay period in hh:mm and decimal hours. Overnight shifts, overtime and pay are handled automatically.