Geometric forms representing mathematical thinking

The difference between a time and a duration

A clock time is a moment; a duration is the interval between moments. Think separately about hours and minutes instead of subtracting digital times like decimal numbers.

A SHORT EXERCISE

Try it yourself first.

An activity starts at 14:35 and ends at 15:20. Find the time to 15:00 and then to the finish. How many minutes pass altogether?

View the solution or example answer

There are 25 minutes to 15:00, then 20 minutes to 15:20: a total of 45 minutes. An hour has 60 minutes, so ordinary decimal subtraction alone is not suitable.

Your next step.

Mark the start and finish on a timeline. Two smaller steps through the whole hour can make mental calculation easier. Check by adding the duration back to the start.

Joining online lessons from Evren.

Lessons with Songül Nazariani are live, one to one and exclusively online. Share your needs for primary or middle school maths, general English, conversation practice, IELTS or TOEFL preparation. Suitable days, times, lesson duration and fees are discussed together.

Sharing the student’s year group and a question they find difficult helps us plan the starting point.

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