X Tables
Travel Maths

Maths hiding in travel: journey times

Add hours and minutes across a trip.

Quick answer

When you travel, you use maths to add up how long your journey takes. Whether you're planning a trip to the park, a bus ride, or a holiday, you add hours and minutes to work out the total time. This helps you know when you'll arrive, how long you have to wait, or how much time you have for fun.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to add up hours and minutes to work out how long a journey takes. Success signs:
  • You can add hours and minutes together correctly.
  • You can tell the time when you add up a journey.
  • You can plan a trip and work out how long it will take.
  • You can solve a problem about travel time.

Why this matters

Maths is everywhere, especially when you travel. Whether you're going to school, visiting grandma, or going on holiday, you need to know how long your journey takes. Adding up hours and minutes helps you plan your time, know when to leave, and make sure you don’t miss anything important. It's also useful for games, cooking, sports, and even board games where you need to count time.

How it works

To add up journey times, you need to:
  1. Start with the hours and minutes of your first part of the journey.
  2. Add the hours and minutes of the next part.
  3. If the minutes go over 60, you need to change them into extra hours.
  4. Count the total hours and minutes.
Let’s try it step by step.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you’re going to the park. Your journey has three parts:
  1. First, you walk for 15 minutes.
  2. Then, you take a bus for 25 minutes.
  3. Finally, you ride your bike for 10 minutes.
To find the total time:
  1. Add the minutes: 15 + 25 + 10 = 50 minutes.
  2. There are no extra hours, so the total time is 50 minutes.
Let’s try a harder one:
  1. You take the train for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
  2. Then, you walk for 30 minutes.
To find the total:
  1. Add the hours: 1 + 0 = 1 hour.
  2. Add the minutes: 45 + 30 = 75 minutes.
  3. Since 75 minutes is more than 60, we change 60 minutes into 1 hour.
  4. So, 75 minutes = 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  5. Now add the extra hour: 1 + 1 = 2 hours.
  6. Total time = 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: Planning a Trip to the Beach You are planning a trip to the beach with your family. Here’s your journey:
  1. Drive from home to the train station for 30 minutes.
  2. Wait for the train for 10 minutes.
  3. Take the train for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
  4. Walk to the beach for 15 minutes.
What is the total time of your journey? Let’s work it out:
  1. First part: 30 minutes
  2. Wait: 10 minutes
  3. Train: 1 hour and 20 minutes
  4. Walk: 15 minutes
Add minutes: 30 + 10 + 20 + 15 = 75 minutes. 75 minutes = 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the hours: 0 + 1 = 1 hour. Total time = 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Adding minutes without thinking about 60 minutes = 1 hour. Why it happens: Kids might add 45 + 30 = 75 and forget to change it into 1 hour and 15 minutes. Fix: When minutes go over 60, always remember to turn 60 minutes into 1 hour.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to add the hours. Why it happens: Kids focus only on minutes and miss the hours. Fix: Always add the hours first, then the minutes.
  • Mistake: Adding the hours and minutes together like 1 hour 30 minutes + 2 hours 20 minutes = 3 hours 50 minutes. Why it happens: Kids mix up the numbers and don’t know to add hours to hours and minutes to minutes. Fix: Always add hours to hours and minutes to minutes separately.

Parent and carer guide

As a parent or carer, you can help by:
  • Using real-life examples like bus times or travel plans to practice.
  • Playing a game where you add up how long different parts of a journey take.
  • Using a timer or clock to help your child see how time passes.
  • Encouraging your child to explain how they worked out a journey time.
  • Not worrying if they make mistakes—mistakes are part of learning!
What to say:
  • "Let’s work out how long our trip takes."
  • "Can you add the minutes together?"
  • "What happens when you have more than 60 minutes?"
What not to worry about:
  • Not knowing all the times tables perfectly.
  • Getting the answer wrong at first.
  • Using a calculator or drawing a clock to help.

Practice questions

  1. How long is the journey if you walk for 20 minutes, then wait for 10 minutes, and then ride a bike for 15 minutes?
  2. You take a bus for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then walk for 25 minutes. What is the total time?
  3. You drive for 30 minutes, wait for a train for 5 minutes, and then travel by train for 1 hour and 40 minutes. What is the total time?
  4. How long is a trip that takes 45 minutes, then 20 minutes, then 35 minutes?
  5. You take a taxi for 1 hour and 5 minutes, then walk for 15 minutes. What is the total time?
Answers:
  1. 20 + 10 + 15 = 45 minutes
  2. 1 hour 15 minutes + 25 minutes = 1 hour 40 minutes
  3. 30 minutes + 5 minutes + 1 hour 40 minutes = 1 hour 15 minutes + 1 hour 40 minutes = 2 hours 55 minutes
  4. 45 + 20 + 35 = 100 minutes = 1 hour 40 minutes
  5. 1 hour 5 minutes + 15 minutes = 1 hour 20 minutes

FAQ

How do I add minutes that go over 60?

When you add minutes and get more than 60, you turn the extra 60 minutes into 1 hour. For example, 45 + 30 = 75 minutes. You take 60 of those minutes and make 1 hour. So 75 minutes = 1 hour 15 minutes.

Why do I need to know journey times?

Knowing how long a journey takes helps you plan your day. You’ll know when to leave, how long to wait, and when you’ll arrive. It also helps with time management and getting ready for trips.

Can I use a calculator to add journey times?

Yes, you can! Using a calculator can help you check your work. But it’s good to know how to do it by hand too, so you understand what you're doing.

What if I don’t have a clock or timer?

You can draw a clock or use your hands to count time. You can also use real-life things like how long it takes to walk a certain distance or how long a bus ride feels.

Can I add journey times for a trip with more than 3 parts?

Yes! Just keep adding the hours and minutes together, just like we did in the examples. It might take a bit longer, but it's still the same idea.