Why 7:30 becomes 7.50—not 7.30
An hour contains 60 minutes. Divide the minutes by 60, then add that fraction to the whole hours. Thirty minutes is 30 ÷ 60 = 0.50, so 7 hours 30 minutes equals 7.50 decimal hours.
Example: 8 hours 20 minutes is 8 + 20 ÷ 60 = 8.3333 hours. Rounded to two decimals, it is 8.33.
Important limitation
Payroll systems can apply their own rounding rules. Keep the unrounded value available and confirm the policy used for official pay records.
Last reviewed 8 September 2026.