Reconsider: maybe 720 is the number of times the minute hand’s *point* passes a sensor in 24 hours. That would be 24 × 60 × 1 = 1440 rotations — still not 720.

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:29:17 +0000

Reconsidering the Minute Hand: Does It Actually Pass a Sensor 720 Times in 24 Hours? Ever stopped to question a simple clock rhythm? One curious idea doing the rounds claims: “Maybe the minute hand’s point passes a sensor exactly 720 times in 24 hours — the mathematical midpoint of a day.” But is this really true? Let’s break down the numbers and clear up the confusion behind this fascinating question. At first glance, the idea seems logical. A clock’s minute hand completes one full revolution every hour — that’s 60 minutes per hour. Over 24 hours, this equals 24 × 60 = 1,440 minutes. But here’s the key: when we talk about the point of the minute hand passing a fixed sensor, we’re measuring how many individual moments the tip touches that spot — a subtle but important distinction. Let’s account for how many times the minute hand actually passes a single point on the clock face. Since the minute hand traces a full circle every 60 minutes — and the sensor detects the hand’s point precisely when it aligns with that point — this happens once every hour. So in 24 hours, it crosses that fixed spot exactly 24 times — once per hour. No ghostly double-counts here.