Minute (min) Conversions

The minute (min) is a time unit equal to 60 seconds in this converter.

1 min = 60 s

Definition of a Minute

A minute is a unit used to measure a duration or interval of time. One minute is defined as exactly 60 seconds, so it is also equal to 1/60 of an hour.

1 min = 60 s = 1/60 h

The standard symbol for minute is min. Unit symbols do not become plural, so both one minute and several minutes use the symbol min.

The second is the SI base unit of time. Although the minute is not itself an SI unit, it is officially accepted for use with the International System of Units. Its value is defined through the exact relationship 1 min = 60 s.

Minutes are used to measure activities that are too long to describe conveniently in seconds but too short to express naturally in hours. Common examples include lesson periods, travel times, cooking instructions, sports events, appointments, music, videos, and scientific observations.

Why Does a Minute Contain 60 Seconds?

The division of time into groups of 60 developed from the ancient sexagesimal, or base-60, number system. Early Mesopotamian mathematicians and astronomers used base 60 because it works well with fractions.

The number 60 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30. This makes it convenient for dividing an hour into equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, sixths, and other common fractions.

For example, half an hour is 30 minutes, one-third of an hour is 20 minutes, one-quarter of an hour is 15 minutes, and one-sixth of an hour is 10 minutes.

History of the Minute

The mathematical idea behind minutes and seconds began in ancient astronomy. The Sumerians and Babylonians used base-60 mathematics, and later Greek astronomers applied sexagesimal divisions when measuring circles and positions in the sky.

Around the second century CE, the astronomer Claudius Ptolemy described the division of each degree into 60 smaller parts and each of those parts into another 60 parts. These astronomical subdivisions later influenced the way hours were divided for timekeeping.

The word minute is connected to the Latin expression pars minuta prima, meaning the “first small part.” It referred to the first division of an hour into 60 parts. The second division into 60 smaller parts became associated with the word second.

For many centuries, clocks were not accurate enough to display individual minutes. Early mechanical clocks often showed only the hour. As clockmaking improved, minute hands became practical, followed later by second hands.

Today, the minute is defined using the second rather than by observing the Sun or the motion of a mechanical clock. Modern timekeeping uses atomic standards to define the second precisely, and one minute is then exactly 60 of those seconds.

The Minute in Mathematics

Time notation is based partly on groups of 60 rather than groups of 10. This means that converting between minutes and seconds requires multiplication or division by 60.

To convert minutes to seconds, multiply by 60: Seconds = Minutes × 60.

To convert seconds to minutes, divide by 60: Minutes = Seconds ÷ 60.

Fractions of an hour can also be expressed in minutes. For example, 1/2 hour = 30 minutes, 1/4 hour = 15 minutes, and 3/4 hour = 45 minutes.

Decimal notation must be interpreted carefully. A value of 1.5 minutes equals 1 minute and 30 seconds, while a clock display of 1:50 means 1 minute and 50 seconds.

Time Minutes and Angle Minutes

The word minute is also used in angle measurement, but an angular minute is different from a minute of time. One arcminute is 1/60 of a degree and uses the symbol ′, while one minute of time is 60 seconds and uses the symbol min.

For example, 15 min represents a duration of fifteen minutes, while 15′ represents an angle of fifteen arcminutes.

Minute Standards and References

Further information about the definition and history of the minute is available from the following measurement authorities:

• NIST Guide to the SI: units accepted for use with the SI
• NIST introduction to the second and the historical development of minutes and seconds
• NIST timekeeping and clocks FAQ

Minute Conversion Basics

Multiply the minute value by 60 to obtain seconds, then divide by the seconds factor of the target unit.

Target value = min × 60 ÷ target unit seconds factor

Common Minute Conversions

• 1 min = 60 s
• 1 min = 60,000 ms
• 1 min = 0.0166666666666667 h
• 1 min = 0.000694444444444444 d
• 1 min = 0.0000992063492063492 Week
• 1 min = 0.0000228310502283105 Month

Minute Conversion Links to Other Time Units

Convert Minute (min) to any other supported time unit:

• Minute (min) to Second (s)
• Minute (min) to Hour (h)

Minute (min) Conversion FAQ

What is a minute?

A minute is a time unit equal to 60 seconds. It is commonly used in scheduling, measurement, science, computing, and everyday time calculations.

How many seconds are in 1 minute?

1 min equals 60 seconds.

How do I convert minutes to seconds?

Multiply the number of minutes by 60.

How do I convert seconds to minutes?

Divide the number of seconds by 60.

Is the minute fixed or context-dependent?

This converter uses a fixed value of 60 seconds for one minute. Calendar-aware durations may vary by context.