Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Timetables and schedules (1)

In 'Max Maths, Year 4', students are introduced to the practical application of reading timetables and schedules, specifically focusing on ferry departure times from Athens to various Greek islands. The lesson provides a schedule that lists the departure times for ferries from Athens to destinations such as Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Kos, Rhodes, and Crete. For example, the ferry to Milos leaves at 07:30 a.m., while the one to Santorini departs at 11:30 a.m. The schedule is a valuable tool for understanding how to plan travel and recognise patterns in scheduled services.

As part of an interactive learning scenario, the students are presented with a problem involving two characters, Tya and Toby, who have missed their 1:00 p.m. ferry to Kos. To solve this, students are encouraged to draw a timeline ranging from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., marking the half-hour intervals. By examining the schedule, it is revealed that the next ferry to Kos after 1:00 p.m. departs at 3:30 p.m. Through this exercise, Tya and Toby, along with the students, discover that there is a 2 hour and 30-minute wait for the next boat. This practical example teaches students how to use timetables to calculate waiting times and schedule their plans accordingly.