Time and Timetables

A coach leaves Leeds at 08:40 and travels 150 miles to London at an average speed of 50 mph. It also stops for a 25-minute break. What time does it arrive in London?

• A11:40
• B11:15
• C12:05✓
• D12:30

Answer: Driving time = distance ÷ speed = 150 ÷ 50 = 3 hours. Adding the 25-minute break gives 3 hours 25 minutes. 08:40 + 3 hours = 11:40, and 11:40 + 25 minutes = 12:05. Leaving out the break gives 11:40.

A train leaves Manchester at 08:45 and arrives in London at 10:53. The journey is 184 miles. What is the train's average speed, to the nearest mph?

• A86 mph✓
• B73 mph
• C88 mph
• D92 mph

Answer: The journey time is 2 hours 8 minutes. 8 minutes = 8 ÷ 60 = 0.133 hours, so the time is 2.133 hours. Speed = 184 ÷ 2.133 = 86.25, which is 86 mph. Treating 2 hours 8 minutes as 2.08 hours gives 88 mph.

A night shift runs from 21:45 to 06:15 the next morning and includes two unpaid 20-minute breaks. The pay rate is £12.80 an hour. How much is paid for the shift, to the nearest penny?

• A£99.84
• B£108.80
• C£96.00
• D£100.27✓

Answer: 21:45 to 06:15 is 8 hours 30 minutes. Taking off 40 minutes of breaks leaves 7 hours 50 minutes = 7 5/6 hours. Pay: 7 5/6 × £12.80 = £100.27. £108.80 pays the breaks too, and £99.84 treats 7 hours 50 minutes as 7.8 hours.

Buses leave the station at 06:50 and then every 25 minutes after that. Kieran arrives at the station at 08:20. How long does he have to wait for the next bus?

• A5 minutes
• B10 minutes✓
• C25 minutes
• D15 minutes

Answer: List the departures: 06:50, 07:15, 07:40, 08:05, 08:30. The last bus before he arrives left at 08:05, so the next one is at 08:30. From 08:20 to 08:30 is 10 minutes. 15 minutes is how long ago the previous bus left.

A flight leaves London at 09:40 UK time and takes 7 hours 35 minutes to reach New York, where the local time is 5 hours behind the UK. What is the local time in New York when it lands?

• A13:15
• B17:15
• C12:15✓
• D22:15

Answer: 09:40 + 7 hours 35 minutes = 17:15 UK time. New York is 5 hours behind, so the local time is 17:15 - 5 hours = 12:15. 17:15 is the UK time, and 22:15 adds the time difference instead of subtracting it.

A roast needs 2 hours 45 minutes in the oven and then 20 minutes resting before it is served. Dinner is at 7:15 pm. What is the latest time the roast can go into the oven?

• A4:30 pm
• B10:20 pm
• C3:50 pm
• D4:10 pm✓

Answer: The total time needed is 2 hours 45 minutes + 20 minutes = 3 hours 5 minutes. Counting back from 7:15 pm: 7:15 pm - 3 hours = 4:15 pm, and 4:15 pm - 5 minutes = 4:10 pm. Forgetting the resting time gives 4:30 pm.

An overnight train leaves at 22:50. The journey takes 4 hours 45 minutes, which already includes a 20-minute delay. What time does it arrive, using the 24-hour clock?

• A03:15
• B03:35✓
• C26:35
• D02:35

Answer: 22:50 + 4 hours = 02:50 the next day, and 02:50 + 45 minutes = 03:35. The 24-hour clock restarts at 00:00 at midnight, so 26:35 is not a real time. The delay is already in the 4 hours 45 minutes, so it is not taken off again.

An employee's timesheet for five days shows 7 h 45 min, 8 h 20 min, 6 h 50 min, 8 h 15 min and 7 h 30 min. What is the total time worked?

• A39 hours 20 minutes
• B37 hours 36 minutes
• C38 hours 40 minutes✓
• D38 hours 16 minutes

Answer: Add the hours: 7 + 8 + 6 + 8 + 7 = 36 hours. Add the minutes: 45 + 20 + 50 + 15 + 30 = 160 minutes = 2 hours 40 minutes. Total: 36 hours + 2 hours 40 minutes = 38 hours 40 minutes. Adding the times as decimals (7.45 + 8.20 ...) gives the wrong total.

A training day runs from 09:15 to 16:45, with a 50-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks. The trainer is paid £38 per teaching hour. How much is she paid for the day, to the nearest penny?

• A£247.00
• B£285.00
• C£231.80
• D£234.33✓

Answer: 09:15 to 16:45 is 7 hours 30 minutes. The breaks total 50 + 15 + 15 = 80 minutes = 1 hour 20 minutes, leaving 6 hours 10 minutes = 6 1/6 hours of teaching. Pay: 6 1/6 × £38 = £234.33. £231.80 treats 6 hours 10 minutes as 6.1 hours.

A courier must make 12 drops between 10:00 and 13:30. Each drop takes 9 minutes, and the driving between drops takes 1 hour 25 minutes in total. How much spare time does the courier have?

• A57 minutes
• B17 minutes✓
• C1 hour 42 minutes
• D2 hours 17 minutes

Answer: The window from 10:00 to 13:30 is 3 hours 30 minutes = 210 minutes. Drops take 12 × 9 = 108 minutes and driving takes 85 minutes, so 193 minutes are used. Spare time: 210 - 193 = 17 minutes. 1 hour 42 minutes forgets the driving time.

A worker takes a 15-minute break after every 2 hours of work, including at the end of the shift. In an 8-hour shift, how many minutes of breaks are there in total?

• A15
• B30
• C45
• D60✓

Answer: 8 ÷ 2 = 4 blocks of two hours, and a break follows each one. 4 × 15 minutes = 60 minutes.