Quicker Maths

Trick for Adding Time

Posted on November 9, 2011

Have you ever faced any problem in adding time?

If you have ever have faced the slightest difficulty in adding time or duration expressed in hours and minutes, this trick is meant for you.

Say you have to add 4 hours 55 minutes and 2 hours 40 minutes.

Make 4 hours 55 minutes into one number, which will give us 455 and do the same for the other number, 2 hours 40 minutes, giving us 240.

Shortcut Trick to Add Two Numbers

Simply add these two numbers together:

455

240

------

695

What you need to do is add 40 to the above result. No matter what the hours and minutes are, just add the constant 40 to the total obtained by adding the time in above manner.

695 + 40 = 735; this means 7 hours 35 minutes.

Be Careful

If there is no carryover from minutes to hours and the minutes digits are less than 60, don't add 40. What you get after first step is your final answer. Say for example, if you have to add 2 hours 20 minutes and 3 hours 35 minutes:

220

335

------

555

So you straight away get your answer as 5 hours 55 minutes.

 

Another Illustration

Similarly, if someone is coming after 3 hours 55 minutes and right now the time is 1:35PM, you can use the above method to find the time of arrival.

355

135

-----

490

Adding 40 + 490, we get 530. Hence the person will arrive at 5:30PM.

 

More than two duration

This method can easily be extended for adding more than two time/duration.

So say for example, if you have to add 3 hours 40 minutes, 2 hours 25 minutes and 1 hour 55 minutes, we can do it like this:

340

225

155

------

720

Adding 40 twice to 720, we get 800. Hence, the answer is 8'o Clock.

For more information on math classes, consider looking into online universities

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Posted by Vineet Patawari

Comments (30) Trackbacks (0)
  1. what for 3:45 + 2:30 + 2:50

  2. thanx u 4 dis tricky trick i;ve been looking 4 the methods of adding n subtracting times

  3. ???? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ?? ?? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ? ?????? 3 ? 20 ???? ? 2 ? 50 ???? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ??? 320+250+40= 610 ????? 6 ? 10?? ?????? ???? ?? “????? ??? ?????” ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???

  4. Sir,
    I was using the trick & tried on several examples but I was struck to one where I got total of last two digits as 60 ex-
    340
    +265
    +155
    ———
    760
    now should I take it as 8.00?

  5. yes nice and thanks

  6. please i had just checked the interesting to do.. just let me give a chance to say on such farmulaes

  7. It is very useful. First I was confused about 1.20+1.30=2.50+40= 2.90
    Now it is clear.
    Thanks..

  8. Thanks…
    It was new for me..

  9. very useful trick

  10. If you have two numbers to add and the last two
    digits of the sum are less than 60, you can’t add
    the 40.
    Example: 2 hours and 15 minutes and 3 hours
    and 40 minutes
    215+340=355
    If you add 40, it will make it 395, which is incorrect.

    In your example for three numbers, they should
    have added to 720. If you add 40, it will add to 760
    and not 800.

    • Thanks Michael,

      I have made the necessary changes in the post above. I appreciate your contribution.

    • @michael

      215+340 is 555

      it’s not 395

      read the first instruction with name be carefull

    • we can directly add any numbers like 2-15 + 3-40 = 5-55 is ans

      and say 3-40+2-25+1-55 =6-120 now if we divide 120 by 60 then maximum quotient is 2 and remainder is zero this means 6+2-00=8-00

      now again say 3-42+2-27+1-57 =6-126 now if we devide 126 by 60 then maximum quitent is 2 and remainder is 6 this means 6+2-06=8-06

      we can add as much like 2-10+3-15+4-20+5-40=14-85 and by dividing 85 by 60 oraly maximum quotient is 1 and remainder is 25 this means
      14+1-15=15-25

    • Very Nice Micheal…Tat was very minute thing but u pointed out d thing…It really helped me to grasp the trick…Thanks

  11. awesome blossom!!!!~~~~!!!

  12. Best Trick ever


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