First photography class and confused?

Question:My first assignment is to take pictures using 8 different f-stops. I understand that the proper exposure is when the needle is at the 0 and not a + or -. However, the shutter speed # on my camera (Nikon) doesn't resemble anything like 1/60th or 1/2000th (for example). They are all whole #s. How do I read those? THANKS!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: My first assignment is to take pictures using 8 different f-stops. I understand that the proper exposure is when the needle is at the 0 and not a + or -. However, the shutter speed # on my camera (Nikon) doesn't resemble anything like 1/60th or 1/2000th (for example). They are all whole #s. How do I read those? THANKS!

30" = 30 seconds
2" = 2 seconds
125 = 1/125th second
2000 = 1/2000th second

Most cameras dont have the shutter speed in fractions. If it says 60 then it really means 1/60. If the number however has a (') next to it, for example 1' that means the shutter will stay open for 1 second.