GCSE Maths: Time
Work with the 24-hour clock, durations and timetables. Practise it with adaptive questions for AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas.
What you need to know
The concepts examiners test on time, and what each one is really asking.
Where marks get lost
The exam technique that separates a correct method from a correct answer.
- Reading 1.5 hours as 1 hour 50 minutes rather than 1 hour 30
- Subtracting times as if they were decimals, e.g. 17.20 - 14.45
- Mixing up 12-hour and 24-hour times, so 7pm becomes 07:00
- Forgetting that a journey can cross midnight
Time questions students ask
Is Time on the Foundation paper?
Yes. Time appears at both Foundation and Higher tier, though Higher papers take it further.
What should I know before starting Time?
It builds on Addition and subtraction and Units and conversions and Reading tables. If those feel shaky, practise them first — Time questions assume them.
What is the most common mistake in Time?
Reading 1.5 hours as 1 hour 50 minutes rather than 1 hour 30.
Which exam boards cover Time?
All four we support — AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. GCSE Maths subject content is set by the DfE, so the topic is common to every board; what changes is the paper structure and the grade boundaries.