If it took Mark 45 minutes to get to work and 35 minutes to get home, how long did he spend travelling to and from work?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Mark spent a total of 80 minutes traveling to and from work.
Explanation
To find the total time Mark spent traveling to and from work, we need to add the time it took him to go to work and the time it took him to return home.
- Time to get to work: 45 minutes
- Time to get home: 35 minutes
Now, we add these two amounts of time together:
45 minutes + 35 minutes = 80 minutes
Therefore, Mark spent a total of 80 minutes traveling in a day.
This type of problem involves basic arithmetic—specifically, addition. In daily life, calculating total time is a practical skill that helps us manage our schedules and understand how much time we dedicate to different activities. For example, someone might want to know how much time they spend commuting each day, week, or month to plan better or decide whether to seek a closer job or work remotely.
In Mark’s case, the two trips (to and from work) did not take the same amount of time. This is a common situation in real life. The difference in travel times could be due to factors such as traffic, the time of day, or the route taken. Morning traffic may be heavier, causing longer travel times, while the return journey might be faster.
Understanding how to break down and sum up time like this is also useful when estimating how much time we need for daily routines or when trying to optimize travel. For instance, if Mark wants to reduce his commute, he may look for ways to cut down those 80 minutes—maybe by leaving earlier, using public transportation, or carpooling.
In summary, by simply adding the two times together—45 minutes and 35 minutes—we find that Mark spends 80 minutes each day commuting to and from work.
