Solving a Time Word Problem
23 October 2026
Understanding how to work out the length of time between two points is a key skill for 11+ maths. Many children find time word problems tricky at first, so it helps to break the question into clear steps.
Worked example
A movie starts at 1:15 pm and ends at 3:05 pm. How long is the movie?
Step 1: Count from 1:15 pm to 3:15 pm. This is 2 hours.
Step 2: The movie ends at 3:05 pm, which is 10 minutes before 3:15 pm.
Step 3: Subtract 10 minutes from 2 hours.
The correct answer is 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Click or tap on the number line to answer
After seeing this example, your child will be able to spot start and end times and work out how long something lasts. Similar time word problems are ready to practise next, helping to build confidence for the 11+.
