Understanding time zones
The Earth is divided into 24 time zones because it turns once a day. Places to the east see the sun earlier, so their clocks are ahead.
Key idea
Malaysia is UTC+8. To find another place's time, add or subtract the hour difference. East → add; west → subtract.
A worked example
Worked example
London is UTC+0, so it is 8 hours behind Malaysia.
When London is 8:00 a.m., Malaysia is 8:00 a.m. + 8 hours = 4:00 p.m.
Tokyo is UTC+9, one hour ahead of Malaysia. When KL is 12:00 noon, Tokyo is 1:00 p.m.
Comparing places
The difference between two zones is the difference of their UTC numbers. Malaysia (+8) and Thailand (+7) differ by 1 hour. If one place is west of UTC, its number is negative, so Malaysia (+8) and New York (−5) differ by 8 − (−5) = 13 hours. Two places in the same zone, like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, both UTC+8, have no difference at all. Knowing this helps when you phone family overseas or plan a flight.
Remember
- Malaysia is UTC+8.
- East is ahead (later); west is behind (earlier).
- Time difference = difference of UTC numbers.