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Year 6 Maths Time

Read & interpret timetables

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Theory

A timetable lists the times a bus, train or ferry reaches each stop. Each column is one service and each row is one stop. This Year 6 maths page shows how to read a timetable, work out journey and waiting times by counting on, and choose the right service to arrive on time.

Read down a column to follow one bus on its trip. Read across a row to see every time a bus stops at one place.

Timetables usually use 24-hour time: \(\text{16:30}\) is 4:30 pm.

The journey time is the arrival time take away the departure time, found by counting on (an hour has \(60\) minutes).

The waiting time is the time from when you reach the stop until the next service leaves.

To arrive by a time, look along the arrival row for the latest time that is not after it, then read up that column to the departure.

Bus timetable from Hillside to Beach A timetable with four stops: Hillside, Park Road, Library and Beach, and three buses. Bus A: 06:50, 07:04, 07:22, 07:41. Bus B: 07:35, 07:51, 08:06, 08:30. Bus C: 08:20, 08:36, 08:55, 09:12. The Bus B column is shaded. Stop Bus A Bus B Bus C Hillside 06:50 07:35 08:20 Park Road 07:04 07:51 08:36 Library 07:22 08:06 08:55 Beach 07:41 08:30 09:12
Read down the shaded column to follow Bus B from Hillside to Beach.
Bus C journey time A time line for Bus C: 35 minutes from 08:20 at Hillside to 08:55 at the Library, then 17 minutes to 09:12 at the Beach. Total 52 minutes. 08:20 08:55 09:12 35 min 17 min total 52 min
Bus C: \(35 + 17 = 52\) minutes from Hillside to Beach.
Afternoon train timetable A train timetable with three stations, Riverton, Oakdale and Mountview. Train 1: 15:45, 16:12, 17:05. Train 2: 16:30, 16:58, 17:47. The Oakdale row is shaded. Station Train 1 Train 2 Riverton 15:45 16:30 Oakdale 16:12 16:58 Mountview 17:05 17:47
Read across the shaded row: trains reach Oakdale at \(\text{16:12}\) and \(\text{16:58}\).

Timetable facts:

\[ \text{journey time} = \text{arrival} - \text{departure} \]
journey time = arrival − departure
\[ \text{wait} = \text{departure} - \text{time at stop} \]
wait = departure − time at stop
\[ 1\text{ h} = 60\text{ min} \]
1 h =60 min
Column = one service. Follow one bus by reading down its column; never jump to another column part way.
Count on. From \(\text{16:30}\) to \(\text{17:47}\): \(30\) min to \(\text{17:00}\), then \(47\) min: \(77\) min.

How to find a journey time

  1. Find the column for the service.
  2. Read the time at the starting stop and at the finishing stop.
  3. Count on from the first time to the second.

How to choose a service

  1. Arrive by a time: in the arrival row, find the latest time that is not too late.
  2. Next service: in the row for your stop, find the first time after you get there.
  3. Read up or down that column for the other times you need.
Example 1 — Read a time
Use the bus timetable. When does Bus B reach the Library?
Solution

Down the Bus B column to the Library row: \(\text{08:06}\).

Example 2 — Whole trip
How many minutes does Bus A take from Hillside to Beach?
Solution
\(10 + 41\)\(=\)\(51\)
10+41=51

\(\text{06:50}\) to \(\text{07:00}\) is \(10\) min; then \(41\) min to \(\text{07:41}\). \(51\) minutes.

Example 3 — Part of a trip
For Bus C:
(i) How long from Hillside to the Library?
(ii) How long from the Library to Beach?
(iii) How long for the whole trip?
Solution
\(35 + 17\)\(=\)\(52\)
35+17=52

(i) \(35\) min
(ii) \(17\) min
(iii) \(52\) min

Example 4 — Waiting time
Jess gets to the Park Road stop at \(\text{07:40}\). When is the next bus, and how long does she wait?
Solution
\(51 - 40\)\(=\)\(11\)
51−40=11

Bus B at \(\text{07:51}\); she waits \(11\) minutes.

Example 5 — Arrive on time
Omar must be at the Beach by \(\text{09:00}\). Which is the latest bus he can catch, and when does it leave Hillside?
Solution

Beach row: \(\text{07:41}\), \(\text{08:30}\), \(\text{09:12}\). \(\text{09:12}\) is too late, so the latest is \(\text{08:30}\) (Bus B).

Bus B, leaving Hillside at \(\text{07:35}\).

Example 6 — Quickest bus
Which bus makes the quickest trip from Hillside to Beach?
Solution

Bus A: \(51\) min. Bus B: \(55\) min. Bus C: \(52\) min.

Bus A.

Example 7 — Gap between services
How often do buses leave Hillside?
Solution
\(10 + 35\)\(=\)\(45\)
10+35=45

Both gaps (\(\text{06:50}\) to \(\text{07:35}\), then to \(\text{08:20}\)) are \(45\) min, so a bus leaves every \(45\) minutes.

Example 8 — 24-hour to 12-hour
Use the train timetable.
(i) Train 1 reaches Mountview at \(\text{17:05}\). Write this in 12-hour time.
(ii) How long does Train 2 take from Riverton to Mountview?
Solution
\(30 + 47\)\(=\)\(77\)
30+47=77

(i) 5:05 pm
(ii) \(77\) min \(= 1\) h \(17\) min

Example 9 — Find the mistake
Ana says Train 1 takes \(16.12 - 15.45 = 0.67\), so \(67\) minutes, from Riverton to Oakdale. What is right?
Solution
\(15 + 12\)\(=\)\(27\)
15+12=27

Times are not decimals. Count on: \(15\) min to \(\text{16:00}\), then \(12\) min: \(27\) minutes.

Common pitfalls

Switching columns. Stay in one column when you follow a service from stop to stop.
Subtracting like decimals. From \(\text{15:45}\) to \(\text{16:12}\) is \(27\) min, not \(67\) min.
Choosing a service that is too late. To arrive by a time, the arrival must be at or before that time.
Reading the wrong row. Check the stop name at the start of the row before reading a time.

Frequently asked questions

How do I read a timetable?

Each column is one service and each row is one stop. Find the column, then go down to the row you need.

How do I find a journey time?

Take the departure and arrival times from the same column and count on from one to the other.

What does 17:47 mean?

47 minutes past 5 in the afternoon (5:47 pm).

How do I find the latest bus to arrive on time?

Look along the arrival row for the latest time that is not after the time you need, then read that column.

How do I find a waiting time?

Count on from when you reach the stop to when the next service leaves.

More in Time
Duration & elapsed time
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