Introduce pupils to a skill they will use for the rest of their lives with these elapsed time word problems. There is a nice visual example to give them reference, and they work out five scenarios on their own. The times here are not limited to half-hour or even quarter-hour increments, which lends to the realistic application objective. Answer types vary from figuring how long something lasts to what time it finishes to the earliest time something can begin. Extend this to your classroom. How long does the school day last? How about lunch?