Time and distance problems are a recurring 11+ Maths topic, especially in CEM and harder GL papers. They test the speed = distance / time relationship.
What this question type tests
Time-distance questions take many forms: simple speed calculations, journey times with stops, two trains meeting, and unit conversions (km/h to m/s).
How it appears in real papers
In a typical 11+ Maths paper, time-distance problems account for 5 to 10 percent of marks but cluster among the higher-mark word problems toward the back of the paper. Recognising the question type within five seconds is the marker of a confident candidate; recognising it after thirty seconds of re-reading typically means a lost mark on a tight paper.
The technique to learn
The technique: write down the formula triangle (S = D/T, D = S×T, T = D/S) at the start of every problem. Identify which two are given and which is being asked.
Be ruthless about units. Mixing kilometres and metres, or hours and minutes, is the single most common error. Convert all values to the same units before calculating.
Worked example
Worked example: a car travels 60 km in 45 minutes. What is its speed in km/h? Convert 45 minutes to 0.75 hours. Speed = 60 ÷ 0.75 = 80 km/h.
Common errors
Common error: dividing the wrong way round. Always think "what units does the answer need?" If the answer is in km/h, the calculation must produce km on top and h on bottom.
Practice approach
Practise by drawing every problem as a time-line or a distance-line. The visual representation prevents the unit-conversion mistakes that catch most candidates. Embedding the technique requires repeated exposure across different surface presentations — a child who has only seen one phrasing will be thrown by the next.