Time Word Problems

What are Time Word Problems?

• Time word problems are stories that help us figure out when something starts, when it ends, or how long it takes.
• In Grade 1, we focus on time in hours and half-hours.
• These problems are like puzzles that help us plan our day!

Types of Time Problems

1. Finding the "New" Time These stories tell you a start time and ask what time it will be after a certain number of hours pass.

• The Trick: Imagine moving the short hour hand forward like a jump on a number line.

2. "Elapsed" Time (How long?) These stories tell you the start and end times and ask how much time has gone by.

• The Trick: Count the hours from the start time to the end time.

Practice Story 1: Moving Forward

The movie starts at 2:00. It is exactly 1 hour long. What time does the movie end?

• Start Time: 2:00
• Jump: 1 hour
• The Math:
• The Answer: The movie ends at 3:00.

Practice Story 2: Half-Hour Jumps

Lunch starts at 11:30. It lasts for 1 hour. What time is lunch over?

• Start Time: 11:30
• Jump: 1 hour (The minutes stay the same, only the hour hand moves!)
• The Math: 11:30 → 12:30
• The Answer: Lunch ends at 12:30 (or half past 12).

Practice Story 3: How Much Time?

Ben started cleaning his room at 4:00. He finished at 6:00. How many hours did he clean?

• Start Time: 4:00
• End Time: 6:00
• The Counting: "4:00... 5:00 (that's 1), 6:00 (that's 2)."
• The Answer: Ben cleaned for 2 hours.

Key Words to Watch For

• "Later": This means you move the clock forward (Add hours).
• "Earlier": This means you move the clock backward (Subtract hours).
• "How long": You need to count the distance between two times.
• "Duration": Another word for how much time has passed.

Top Tips for Time Problems

• Use a Clock Face: If you have a toy clock, move the hands as you read the story!
• Minutes Stay the Same: If the problem only talks about "hours," the minute hand (the long one) stays exactly where it is.
• The "12" Reset: Remember that after 12:00, the clock starts over at 1:00!

Lesson Summary

• To find a later time, add to the hour.
• To find how much time passed, count from start to finish.
• Only change the minutes if the story mentions "half an hour" or "30 minutes."