- It is as cromulent (thanks, MatthewDaly!) to write $$11.40\text{ a.m.} \color{#00F}- 15\text{ min} = 11.25\text{ a.m.}$$ as it is to [write][1] $$(4,3) \color{#00F}-\begin{pmatrix}1 \cr1\end{pmatrix}=(3,2),$$ because $“\color{#00F}-”$ here can be thought of (is implicitly defined) as a variant subtraction operation: one whose first argument is a time/Cartesian -point, second argument is a duration/vector, and output is a time/Cartesian -point. When using the 24-hour clock, I write $$11\;40 \color{#00F}- 15\text{ min} = 11\;25.$$ - I avoid writing $$11:40 \color{#00F}- 15\text{ min} = 11:25$$ though, as it is ambiguous whether it is nearing noon or midnight. [1]: https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3500269/what-happens-when-a-vector-is-subtracted-from-a-given-point#comment7198833_3500283