Solving time problems
A time word problem tells a little story about clocks, hours, or days. First we read the story, then we work out the answer. We use four easy steps to solve it every time.
Key idea / 要点
1) Understand the story. 2) Plan what to do. 3) Work it out. 4) Check your answer.
Adding hours
To find an ending time, add the hours to the starting time.
Worked example / 例题
A cartoon starts at 2 o'clock. It lasts 3 hours. What time does it end?
Plan: add the hours. 2 + 3 = 5. It ends at 5 o'clock.
Finding how long
To find how long something takes, count on from the start time to the end time. From 8 o'clock to 11 o'clock is 3 hours. Counting on your fingers can help you when the numbers are small.
Remember / 记住
- Read the story slowly.
- 1 hour = 60 minutes; 1 day = 24 hours.
- Always check if the answer makes sense.