Figuring out what time it will be 3 hours from now is something we all do pretty regularly. Whether you’re scheduling a meeting, setting a reminder, or just trying to plan your day, knowing how to quickly calculate time is super useful.
This article will explain a simple method to help you find out what time it’ll be 3 hours from now.
How to figure out “3 hours from now”
Let’s break down how to calculate what time it will be three hours from now.
Find out what time it is right now
Knowing the current hour is your starting point. Note the time, and then:
Add three hours
Just add 3 to the current hour. For example, if it’s 2:00 PM right now, adding 3 hours makes it 5:00 PM.
It may also help to remember that 3 hours is the same as 180 minutes.
Handling AM/PM Transitions
The trickiest part of calculating a time three hours from now is figuring out what happens as you transition from AM to PM (or vice versa).
AM refers to the period from midnight to noon (ante meridiem), while PM refers to the period from noon to midnight (post meridiem).
If your calculation results in a number greater than 12, subtract 12 from it and switch from AM to PM or from PM to AM.
For example, if it’s 11:00 AM now, adding three hours gets you to 2:00 PM. Likewise, if the current time is 10:00 PM, adding three hours gets you to 1:00 AM.
How to calculate “3 hours from now”
Calculating “3 hours from now” is a pretty straightforward process. Here are a couple of quick examples:
- If it’s 9:00 AM now, 3 hours from now it will be 12:00 PM.
- If it’s 8:00 PM now, 3 hours from now it will be 11:00 PM.
Figuring out what time it will be in 3 hours is helpful when you’re:
- scheduling meetings
- making appointments
- figuring out travel times
- planning events
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “a few hours” 3 hours?
“A few hours” is subjective, but it generally implies more than two. So, while 3 hours technically could be considered “a few,” it’s right on the borderline. If you need to be precise, it’s always best to specify the exact number of hours.
What time zone is 3 hours behind us?
This depends on your current time zone! For example, if you’re in Eastern Time (ET), then Central Time (CT) is one hour behind, Mountain Time (MT) is two hours behind, and Pacific Time (PT) is three hours behind. So, Pacific Time would be the answer in that case.
What time will it be 3 hours after 7:30 PM?
If it’s 7:30 PM now, adding 3 hours means it will be 10:30 PM. Easy peasy!
How many days is 99999 hours from now?
To figure that out, you’d divide 99999 by 24 (since there are 24 hours in a day). That comes out to approximately 4166.625 days. So, it’s roughly 4166 full days and a little over half a day after that.
Conclusion
Adding three hours to any time is a straightforward calculation. However, you have to remember to pay attention to whether the original time is AM or PM. Keeping track of that detail will help you avoid confusion and make sure your calculations are correct.