When seen through a mirror, a clock shows 3:30. what is the correct time .

The correct answer is 8 : 30.

To find the actual time from the mirror image of a clock, we can use a simple and logical reflection rule. When an object is reflected in a vertical mirror, the left and right sides are reversed, while the top and bottom remain unchanged.

For a standard 12-hour clock, the horizontal reflection (left-right reversal) means that the sum of the time shown in the mirror and the actual time is always equal to 12 hours (or 11 hours and 60 minutes for easier calculation).

Let's calculate the correct time step-by-step:
1. Write down the total time baseline: 11 hours and 60 minutes (which is equivalent to 12:00).
2. Subtract the mirror time (3:30) from this baseline:
Hours calculation: $11-3=8$
Minutes calculation: $60-30=30$

Thus, the actual time is 8:30.