Date and time formats are standardized ways to represent dates and times in written form. Common formats include MM/DD/YYYY for dates in the United States, where the month is listed first, and DD/MM/YYYY used in many other countries, where the day comes first. The 24-hour clock is often used in military and international contexts, while the 12-hour clock is popular in everyday use, especially in the U.S. Different cultures and regions may have unique conventions for displaying dates and times. For example, in ISO 8601, a widely accepted international standard, dates are formatted as YYYY-MM-DD, which helps avoid confusion. Understanding these formats is essential for clear communication, especially in global interactions.