Pay & Income
Splitting hours into regular and overtime
The forty-hour threshold separates regular hours from overtime hours within one week.
The Formula
Regular = min(total, 40); Overtime = max(0, total - 40)
The forty-hour threshold separates regular hours from overtime hours within one week.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | Weekly hours | hours | All hours worked in the week. |
| R | Regular hours | hours | The part of the week up to forty hours. |
| O | Overtime hours | hours | The part of the week above forty hours. |
What Each Symbol Means
Hhours
Weekly hours
All hours worked in the week.
Rhours
Regular hours
The part of the week up to forty hours.
Ohours
Overtime hours
The part of the week above forty hours.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate time card hours page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate Time Card Hours, filed under Business. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.