Date
TIME
Definition
TIME returns the serial number for a given hour, minute, and second.
Syntax
=TIME(hour, minute, second)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
hour |
The hour number from 0 to 23. |
minute |
The minute number from 0 to 59. |
second |
The second number from 0 to 59. |
Worked example
A studio types session clocks as separate hour, minute, and second values. Format the result cell as a number to see the serial.
| A: Hour | B: Minute | C: Second |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
Formula: =TIME(A2,B2,C2)
Result: 0.25. That serial is 6:00, a quarter of a 24-hour day. Filled down, the formula gives 0.25, 0.75, and 0.
Practice
Cell A2 holds 12, cell B2 holds 0, and cell C2 holds 0. In D2, write a formula that builds a time from those three parts.
- In D2, write a TIME formula for hour A2, minute B2, and second C2.
- D2 should show the time for 12, 0, and 0.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =TIME(A2,B2,C2) in D2.
Hour 12, minute 0, and second 0 is 0.5.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
D2 uses TIME.
D2 now shows 0.5.
Related functions
TODAY supplies a date with no time. TIME supplies the time fraction you can add to a date.
Common mistake
Typing 12:00 as text in the hour argument: TIME needs three numbers, so TIME("12",0,0) returns #VALUE!.