Expert: Sherry Wallin - 5/26/2011

Question
Hi sorry I may ask this question every week but I am recently married and helping know my exact hours of work as I am a contractor helps put food on the table for my family:

9.00am – 5.30pm no break
8.30am – 5.30pm no break
8.30am – 5.30pm no break
9.30am – 5.30pm no break
9.00am – 5.00pm only took a 1 x hour break.  

Could you please tell me the hours of work that I have worked this week?

Answer
A~

8.5 + 9 + 9 + 8  + 7 = 41.5 hours

Here let me help you learn to do this by yourself. First use a 24 hour clock instead of am and pm, thus 1pm = 13 (or 12 + 1); 2pm = 14 (or 12 + 2); 3pm is 15 (or 12 + 3), ..., in fact any pm hour just take it and add it to 12 to get your 24 hour equivalent. Also 15 min = .25 hour, 30 min = .5 hour,
45 min = .75 hour

Notice no break means all the hours between the two times is your paid time. So step one is to write your pm times in 24 hour time and step two is to subtract your start time from your end time. Thus in your case you have
9.00am –  5.30pm no break => 17.5-9 = 8.5
8.30am – 5.30pm no break  => 17.5 - 8.5 = 9
8.30am – 5.30pm no break => 17.5 - 8.5 = 9
9.30am – 5.30pm no break => 17.5 - 9.5 = 8
9.00am – 5.00pm 1 hour break => 17 - 9 - 1(1 hour break) = 7

Now add up your results like I did for you in the beginning 8 .5 + 9 + 9 + 8  + 7 = 41.5 hours

Math Prof

Please let me know if this works for you. I have no problem helping you out so if you are still struggling just continue to ask.