X Tables
Rowing Maths

Rowing personal bests maths challenge

A child-friendly sports challenge using personal bests to practise subtraction with real examples.

Quick answer

You can use rowing personal bests to practice subtraction by comparing your old times with your new times to see how much faster you’ve become.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to compare your rowing times to find out how much faster you are now than before, using subtraction to solve real-life rowing challenges. Success signs:
  • You can subtract two times to find the difference
  • You can use subtraction to track your personal best progress
  • You can solve rowing challenges using subtraction
  • You can explain how much faster you are now than before

Why this matters

Rowing is a sport where small improvements in time can make a big difference. When you track your personal best times, you’re using subtraction to see how much faster you’ve become. This helps you stay motivated and shows how much you’ve improved. You can also use this skill in everyday life, like when you’re timing how long it takes to do your homework or how fast you can run to the bus stop.

How it works

To find out how much faster you are in rowing, you need to:
  1. Write down your old rowing time
  2. Write down your new rowing time
  3. Subtract the new time from the old time
  4. See how much time you saved
For example, if you used to row a 500m in 2 minutes 30 seconds and now row it in 2 minutes 10 seconds, you saved 20 seconds. This is because 2 minutes 30 seconds minus 2 minutes 10 seconds equals 20 seconds.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you’re rowing a 500m race. Here are some examples of how to compare your times: Rowing Personal Best Times
Old Time New Time Time Saved
3 minutes 15 seconds 3 minutes 5 seconds 10 seconds
2 minutes 45 seconds 2 minutes 30 seconds 15 seconds
4 minutes 20 seconds 4 minutes 5 seconds 15 seconds
1 minute 50 seconds 1 minute 35 seconds 15 seconds
Let’s look at one example step by step:
  • Your old time was 3 minutes 15 seconds
  • Your new time is 3 minutes 5 seconds
  • To find the difference, take away 5 seconds from 15 seconds, which gives you 10 seconds
  • You saved 10 seconds!

Try it as a mini adventure

Imagine you’re on a rowing team and you’ve been keeping track of your personal bests. Your coach wants you to find out how much faster you’ve become in the last month. You’ve rowed a 500m race 3 times.
  • First race: 2 minutes 50 seconds
  • Second race: 2 minutes 40 seconds
  • Third race: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Now, let’s find out how much faster you were each time:
  1. First race to second race: 2 minutes 50 seconds minus 2 minutes 40 seconds = 10 seconds
  2. Second race to third race: 2 minutes 40 seconds minus 2 minutes 30 seconds = 10 seconds
  3. First race to third race: 2 minutes 50 seconds minus 2 minutes 30 seconds = 20 seconds
Great job! You’ve become faster each time. Can you think of a way to keep track of your progress, maybe with a chart or a drawing?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Subtracting the bigger number from the smaller number and getting a negative number.
    Why it happens: It’s easy to get confused about which time is newer.
    Fix: Always subtract the new time from the old time to see how much faster you are.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to borrow when subtracting seconds.
    Why it happens: When you have 15 seconds minus 20 seconds, it’s hard to take 20 from 15.
    Fix: Borrow 1 minute from the minutes and add 60 seconds to the seconds to make subtraction easier.
  • Mistake: Adding times instead of subtracting them.
    Why it happens: Sometimes it’s easier to add than to subtract.
    Fix: Remember that if your time got faster, you should be subtracting to see how much faster.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Encouraging children to track their rowing times over time
  • Using a stopwatch or timer to make it real
  • Practising subtraction with real rowing times
  • Helping children understand that a smaller time means they are faster
  • Creating a chart or graph to show progress
If your child is struggling with subtraction, try using physical objects like blocks or counters to show the difference in time. You can also make it fun by turning it into a game where they race to see how much faster they can get.

Practice questions

  1. Old time: 3 minutes 20 seconds. New time: 3 minutes 10 seconds. How much faster?
  2. Old time: 2 minutes 45 seconds. New time: 2 minutes 30 seconds. How much faster?
  3. Old time: 4 minutes 10 seconds. New time: 3 minutes 55 seconds. How much faster?
  4. Old time: 1 minute 55 seconds. New time: 1 minute 45 seconds. How much faster?
  5. Old time: 2 minutes 35 seconds. New time: 2 minutes 20 seconds. How much faster?
Answers:
  1. 10 seconds
  2. 15 seconds
  3. 15 seconds
  4. 10 seconds
  5. 15 seconds

FAQ

How do I keep track of my rowing times?

You can write them down in a notebook or use a stopwatch. It's helpful to record your times each time you row so you can see how much you improve.

Why is it important to know how much faster I am?

Knowing how much faster you are helps you see your progress. It makes you feel proud of your improvement and can motivate you to keep rowing!

What if my time gets slower?

If your time gets slower, that’s okay too! It might mean you’re rowing harder or you had a bad day. The important thing is to keep trying and improving.

Can I use subtraction for other sports?

Yes! You can use subtraction in any sport where you track times or scores. For example, in swimming, you can find out how much faster you are each week.

How can I make rowing subtraction fun?

You can make a chart to show your times, play a game where you race against your old times, or even make up a story about your rowing adventures!