Time formats refer to the various ways in which time is expressed, typically using hours and minutes. The most common formats are the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock. The 12-hour format divides the day into two periods: AM (from midnight to noon) and PM (from noon to midnight). For example, 3:00 PM indicates three o'clock in the afternoon. In contrast, the 24-hour format runs from 00:00 to 23:59, eliminating the need for AM and PM. For instance, 15:00 in the 24-hour format corresponds to 3:00 PM in the 12-hour format. Different regions and contexts may prefer one format over the other, such as military time using the 24-hour format.