Word Problems: Time and Money
What Are Word Problems?
Word problems tell a story using words. You need to read carefully and find the math hiding in the story!
How to Solve Word Problems:
- Read the problem carefully
- Find the important information
- Think about what the question is asking
- Solve the problem step by step
- Check your answer
Worked Examples
Example 1: Time Problem
Emma wakes up when the clock shows the short hand on 7 and the long hand on 12. What time does Emma wake up?
Step 1: Find the important info - short hand on 7, long hand on 12.
Step 2: The question asks what time it is.
Step 3: Short hand = hour (7). Long hand on 12 = o'clock.
Answer: Emma wakes up at 7 o'clock.
Example 2: Money Problem
Jake has 1 dime and 2 pennies. How much money does Jake have?
Step 1: Find the coins - 1 dime and 2 pennies.
Step 2: The question asks how much money in total.
Step 3: Count: 1 dime = 10 cents. 2 pennies = 2 cents. 10 + 2 = 12 cents.
Answer: Jake has 12 cents.
Practice Word Problems
Read each problem carefully. Try to solve it before looking at the answer.
Problem 1
School starts when the short hand points to 8 and the long hand points to 12. What time does school start?
Show Answer
8 o'clock - Short hand on 8 and long hand on 12 means 8 o'clock.
Problem 2
Mia finds 2 nickels on the ground. How much money did Mia find?
Show Answer
10 cents - Each nickel is 5 cents. 5 + 5 = 10 cents.
Problem 3
Lunch time is when the clock shows 12 o'clock. The short hand points to which number at lunch time?
Show Answer
12 - At 12 o'clock, the short hand points to 12.
Problem 4
Tom has 1 quarter. His sister gives him 1 nickel. How much money does Tom have now?
Show Answer
30 cents - 1 quarter = 25 cents. 1 nickel = 5 cents. 25 + 5 = 30 cents.
Problem 5
Dad says it is time for bed. The clock shows the short hand on 8 and the long hand on 12. What time is bedtime?
Show Answer
8 o'clock
Problem 6
Sara has 3 dimes. How much money does Sara have?
Show Answer
30 cents - Each dime is 10 cents. 10 + 10 + 10 = 30 cents.
Problem 7
The movie starts at 3 o'clock. Where does the short hand point when the movie starts?
Show Answer
3 - At 3 o'clock, the short hand points to 3.
Problem 8
Ben has 1 dime, 1 nickel, and 3 pennies. His friend has 2 dimes. Who has more money?
Show Answer
Ben's friend has more money. Ben has 10 + 5 + 3 = 18 cents. His friend has 10 + 10 = 20 cents. 20 is more than 18.
Problem 9
Grandma arrives at 5 o'clock. An hour later, it is time for dinner. What time is dinner?
Show Answer
6 o'clock - One hour after 5 o'clock is 6 o'clock.
Problem 10
A sticker costs 15 cents. You have 1 dime and 1 nickel. Do you have enough money to buy the sticker?
Show Answer
Yes! 1 dime = 10 cents. 1 nickel = 5 cents. 10 + 5 = 15 cents. That is exactly enough!
Problem 11
The clock shows the short hand between 2 and 3, closer to 2. The long hand is on 12. About what time is it?
Show Answer
About 2 o'clock - When the short hand is between numbers but closer to 2, and the long hand is on 12, it is about 2 o'clock.
Problem 12
You want to buy a toy car that costs 20 cents. You have 2 dimes. Can you buy the car?
Show Answer
Yes! 2 dimes = 10 + 10 = 20 cents. You have exactly 20 cents, so you can buy the car!
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
What is the first step when solving a word problem?
Show Answer
Read the problem carefully.
Question 2
When counting money, why should you start with the biggest coins first?
Show Answer
Starting with big coins makes counting easier because you add larger amounts first, then add the smaller amounts.
Next Steps
- Practice reading word problems slowly and carefully
- Try making up your own word problems about time and money
- Move on to Common Mistakes to learn what to watch out for