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Sports Day Maths

Maths in sports day: egg-and-spoon times

Compare times and calculate differences.

Quick answer

When you race in egg-and-spoon races, you can use maths to compare how fast or slow each runner is and find out the differences in their times.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to compare times in seconds and find the difference between them using subtraction. Success signs:
  • You can read and write times in seconds
  • You can tell which time is faster or slower
  • You can subtract two times to find how much faster one is than another
  • You can solve a problem about a sports day race using your subtraction skills

Why this matters

Maths is everywhere – even in sports day! When you race in egg-and-spoon races, you are not just having fun, you are also doing maths. You are timing each other, comparing how long each person takes, and seeing who is the fastest. This helps you understand how fast or slow things are and how much faster one person is than another. This is a useful skill not just for sports, but for everyday life too – like when you're waiting for your bus or comparing how long it takes to do different tasks.

How it works

To compare times in seconds and find the difference, follow these steps:
  1. Write down the times for each runner in seconds
  2. Look at the numbers to see which is smaller (faster) and which is larger (slower)
  3. Subtract the smaller time from the larger time to find the difference
  4. Check your answer makes sense

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you are at a school sports day and there are egg-and-spoon races. Here are some example times: Egg-and-Spoon Race Times
Runner Time (seconds)
Alex 20 seconds
Maya 25 seconds
Sam 18 seconds
Jessica 22 seconds
Now, let’s compare the times:
  • Sam finished fastest with 18 seconds
  • Maya was slowest with 25 seconds
  • Let’s find how much faster Sam was than Maya: 25 - 18 = 7 seconds
You can also compare other runners:
  • Alex (20 seconds) vs Jessica (22 seconds): 22 - 20 = 2 seconds difference
  • Sam (18 seconds) vs Alex (20 seconds): 20 - 18 = 2 seconds difference

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Sports Day Challenge! You are at school sports day and you are in charge of timing the egg-and-spoon race. You have four runners: Lily, Tom, Zoe, and Ben. Here are their times:
  • Lily: 24 seconds
  • Tom: 28 seconds
  • Zoe: 21 seconds
  • Ben: 26 seconds
Your mission:
  1. Find the fastest runner
  2. Find the slowest runner
  3. Calculate how much faster the fastest runner was than the slowest runner
  4. Find the difference between Tom and Ben’s times
  1. Fastest runner is Zoe (21 seconds)
  2. Slowest runner is Tom (28 seconds)
  3. Difference: 28 - 21 = 7 seconds
  4. Tom’s time (28) - Ben’s time (26) = 2 seconds

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Subtracting the wrong way around, like 25 - 20 = 5 seconds instead of 20 - 25 = -5 seconds.
    Why it happens: Children sometimes forget that the smaller number goes first when finding the difference.
    Fix: Always subtract the smaller time from the larger time to get a positive difference. If you accidentally get a negative number, switch the order of subtraction.
  • Mistake: Confusing seconds with minutes or other units.
    Why it happens: Young children sometimes mix up time units.
    Fix: Make sure you are always comparing the same unit – seconds in this case.
  • Mistake: Not checking if the answer makes sense.
    Why it happens: Children rush through the maths without thinking about the real-world meaning.
    Fix: Ask yourself: “Does this difference make sense for a race?” If you get 50 seconds difference, ask if that seems right for a short race.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Playing a mini race at home with a spoon and egg or a small ball
  • Timing each other and comparing the times
  • Practicing subtraction with the times
  • Encouraging children to explain their thinking
  • Checking if the answers make sense in the real world
At home, you can:
  1. Set up a fun race with a spoon and egg or a ball
  2. Time each run and write the times down
  3. Ask your child to find the fastest and slowest times
  4. Ask them to calculate how much faster one runner was than another
  5. Use the subtraction practice to build confidence
This is a great way to practice maths in a fun, physical way that connects to the real world!

Practice questions

  1. Tom ran the egg-and-spoon race in 22 seconds. Sarah ran it in 27 seconds. How much faster was Tom?
  2. Jake finished in 19 seconds. Emma finished in 24 seconds. What is the difference in their times?
  3. Ben ran in 25 seconds. Lily ran in 20 seconds. How much faster was Lily?
  4. Find the difference between 30 seconds and 26 seconds.
  5. What is the difference between 15 seconds and 18 seconds?
Answers:
  1. 27 - 22 = 5 seconds
  2. 24 - 19 = 5 seconds
  3. 25 - 20 = 5 seconds
  4. 30 - 26 = 4 seconds
  5. 18 - 15 = 3 seconds

FAQ

What is the difference between times in a race?

The difference is how much faster or slower one runner is compared to another. It is found by subtracting the smaller time from the larger time.

Why do we subtract times to find the difference?

We subtract times because we want to know how much more or less time one person took compared to another. Subtracting gives us the exact difference.

Can times be negative?

No, in this case, times are always positive because we compare the smaller time from the larger time. The difference is always a positive number.

How can I practice comparing times at home?

You can time each other doing simple tasks like jumping, walking a certain distance, or completing a puzzle. Then subtract the times to see who is faster.

What is a good way to remember how to compare times?

Think of it like a race: the smaller number means faster, and the larger number means slower. Always subtract the smaller number from the larger one to find the difference.