EDEXCEL GCSE FOUNDATION MATHS - What are Time Intervals

Edexcel GCSE Foundation Maths: Time Intervals

What are Time Intervals?

A time interval is the difference between two points in time. It measures how much time has passed between two events.

Units of Time:

• Seconds (s): The smallest unit of time commonly used.
• Minutes (min): 60 seconds make up 1 minute.
• Hours (h): 60 minutes make up 1 hour.
• Days (d): 24 hours make up 1 day.
• Weeks (wk): 7 days make up 1 week.
• Months (mo): A month can vary in length from 28 to 31 days.
• Years (yr): 12 months make up 1 year.

Calculating Time Intervals:

To calculate a time interval, follow these steps:

1. Identify the start time and the end time.
2. Convert the times to the same unit (e.g., all in minutes).
3. Subtract the start time from the end time.

Example:

Let's say a movie starts at 7:30 pm and ends at 9:15 pm. What is the duration of the movie?

1. Start time: 7:30 pm
2. End time: 9:15 pm
3. Convert to minutes:
4. 7:30 pm = (7 x 60) + 30 = 450 minutes
5. 9:15 pm = (9 x 60) + 15 = 555 minutes
6. Subtract: 555 minutes - 450 minutes = 105 minutes

Therefore, the movie is 105 minutes long.

Important Note: When working with time intervals that cross over midnight, remember that there are 24 hours in a day. You may need to add 24 hours to the end time to get the correct difference.

Practice Problems:

1. A train leaves London at 10:45 am and arrives in Manchester at 1:15 pm. How long is the train journey?

2. A football match starts at 3:00 pm and finishes at 5:15 pm. How long does the match last?

3. A bakery opens at 7:00 am and closes at 6:30 pm. How many hours is the bakery open?

Remember to use the steps and examples provided to solve these problems.