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SATs practice · Year 6Chapter 4 · Measures in context
Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) · Measures in context · Lesson 4.2

Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs): Time, durations and timetables

Part of the Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) measures in context chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

4.2

Time, durations and timetables

Year 6
Convert between units of time, including timetables and durations (Year 5-6)
Story. A bus timetable for the school trip shows when the coach leaves the car park and when it reaches the museum. Mr Hall needs to work out the time each journey takes so that the class arrives on time.

Rule

There are 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day and 60 seconds in a minute.

To find a duration, work out the time in minutes for each time, then subtract. Change the answer back to hours and minutes.

Key ideas

  • 1 hour = 60 minutes; 1 minute = 60 seconds.
  • To find a duration, subtract the start time from the end time.
  • Do not write 1 h 75 min: that is 2 h 15 min.
Worked example 4.2.1
A journey starts at 09:15 and ends at 11:50. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.

Method. Find the difference between the two times in minutes, then change to hours and minutes.

  1. Change both times to minutes past midnight. 09:15 is 555 minutes and 11:50 is 710 minutes.
    555 and 710
  2. Subtract the start from the end. 710 - 555 = 155 minutes.
    155 minutes
  3. Change back to hours and minutes. 155 minutes is 2 hour(s) and 35 minutes.
    2 h 35 min
  4. Write the answer.
    2 h 35 min

Check. 09:15 + 2 h 35 min = 11:50. ✓

Watch out. Do not count 60 minutes as 100 when you change between hours and minutes.

Worked example 4.2.2
A journey starts at 08:40 and ends at 12:05. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.

Method. Find the difference between the two times in minutes, then change to hours and minutes.

  1. Change both times to minutes past midnight. 08:40 is 520 minutes and 12:05 is 725 minutes.
    520 and 725
  2. Subtract the start from the end. 725 - 520 = 205 minutes.
    205 minutes
  3. Change back to hours and minutes. 205 minutes is 3 hour(s) and 25 minutes.
    3 h 25 min
  4. Write the answer.
    3 h 25 min

Check. 08:40 + 3 h 25 min = 12:05. ✓

Watch out. Do not count 60 minutes as 100 when you change between hours and minutes.

Worked example 4.2.3
A journey starts at 13:20 and ends at 15:05. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.

Method. Find the difference between the two times in minutes, then change to hours and minutes.

  1. Change both times to minutes past midnight. 13:20 is 800 minutes and 15:05 is 905 minutes.
    800 and 905
  2. Subtract the start from the end. 905 - 800 = 105 minutes.
    105 minutes
  3. Change back to hours and minutes. 105 minutes is 1 hour(s) and 45 minutes.
    1 h 45 min
  4. Write the answer.
    1 h 45 min

Check. 13:20 + 1 h 45 min = 15:05. ✓

Watch out. Do not count 60 minutes as 100 when you change between hours and minutes.

Watch out

Watch out. From 10:45 to 11:20 is 35 minutes, not 75 minutes. Count the minutes after the hour.

Exam tip

Practice guide. Count on from the start time to the next hour, then to the end time.

Exercise 4B  Practice: time and durations

Non-calculator
1
FA journey starts at 07:35 and ends at 10:10. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.
2
FA journey starts at 14:25 and ends at 16:00. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.
3
FA journey starts at 06:50 and ends at 09:05. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.
4
FA journey starts at 10:45 and ends at 11:20. How long does it take? Write hours and minutes.
5
PSA bus leaves at 08:25 and the journey takes 47 minutes. What time does it arrive? Write the time in the 24-hour clock.
6
PSA film starts at 19:40 and lasts 2 hours 15 minutes. What time does it finish? Write the time in the 24-hour clock.
7
FWrite 3 hours 20 minutes as a number of minutes.
8
FHow many seconds are there in 4 minutes?
9
PSA train was 35 minutes late. It was due at 13:50. What time did it arrive? Write the time.
10
RAli says 1 hour 30 minutes is 130 minutes. Is he right? Explain.
11
PSA swimming lesson starts at 16:10 and finishes at 17:05. How long is the lesson, in minutes?
12
PSA timetable shows a bus at 07:50 and another at 08:15. Which is the gap between the buses? Choose one: 25 minutes, 35 minutes or 65 minutes.
13
PSA school day runs from 08:50 to 15:20, with a break of 1 hour 20 minutes. How many minutes of lessons are there, not counting the break?
14
PSWrite the time 2 hours and 45 minutes after 11:30 in the 24-hour clock.

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