Express 45 minutes as a fraction of a day?

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Delhi-2015

Explanation

The core task is to represent a part (45 minutes) as a fraction of a whole (1 day).
To do this, both the part and the whole must be in the same unit. Converting 1 day to minutes is the most direct method.
1 day equals 24 hours, and each hour has 60 minutes. So, 1 day = 24 × 60 = 1440 minutes.
The fraction is formed by placing the part over the whole: 45 / 1440.
Simplifying this fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (45) yields 1/32.

Option B: The fraction 1/40 of a day corresponds to 36 minutes (1440 minutes / 40), not 45 minutes.
Option C: The fraction 1/60 of a day corresponds to 24 minutes (1440 minutes / 60), not 45 minutes.
Option D: The fraction 1/24 of a day corresponds to 60 minutes or 1 hour (1440 minutes / 24), not 45 minutes.

Visual 1: Infographic - A pie chart showing a day (1440 minutes) with a small slice representing 45 minutes, visually demonstrating the fraction 1/32.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Unit Conversion and Fractions as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While a general mathematics question, this skill is fundamental in nursing for time-sensitive tasks.
Nurses use similar calculations for medication administration schedules, calculating IV drip rates over specific time periods, and documenting the duration of procedures or symptoms.
For example, if a medication needs to be given every 4 hours, a nurse calculates that this occurs 6 times in a 24-hour day (24/4 = 6).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the 'part' and the 'whole' from the question. The part is 45 minutes, and the whole is 1 day.
Recognize that to create a meaningful fraction, both quantities must be in the same unit.
Convert the larger unit (day) into the smaller unit (minutes) to avoid dealing with decimals. Calculate the total minutes in a day: 24 hours/day × 60 minutes/hour = 1440 minutes.
Set up the fraction with the part as the numerator and the whole as the denominator: 45/1440.
Simplify the fraction to its lowest terms by finding and dividing by the greatest common divisor.
Check the simplified fraction against the given options.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full RRB Staff Nurse Delhi-2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.