Scheduling
Time order, timetables, before/after, duration.
Scheduling
Scheduling and Order Puzzles
What you'll learn
- To order events by time, date, or before/after clues.
- To read timetables and duration — which activity is longest, which overlaps.
- To build a timeline from scattered clues — exam-style scheduling reasoning.
- Useful for daily planning, school timetable logic, and Class 5 reasoning papers.
NCERT / CBSE link
Math-Magic 5, Chapter 7 (Can You See the Pattern?) and CBSE Class 5 logical reasoning use the same ordering skills. School timetables in Indian CBSE schools follow this before/after logic daily.
Key concepts
Level 1 — Before / after / between
Verbal: "A before B" means A happens earlier; "immediately after" means no event between.
Symbolic: Timeline: earlier ← → later.
| Clue | Timeline rule |
|---|---|
| P before Q | P left of Q |
| R after S | R right of S |
| T between U and V | U … T … V or V … T … U |
Method: List unknown order; swap using each clue; cross out impossible orders.
Level 2 — Timetable and duration
Verbal: Duration = end time − start time (same day intro).
Real-life: School: Assembly 8:00–8:30, Period 1 8:30–9:15 → Period 1 is 45 minutes.
| Question | Approach |
|---|---|
| Longest activity | Compare durations |
| Gap between classes | Start next − end previous |
| Overlap | Two events same time slot |
Worked example
Maths before English. English before Games. Games last. Order subjects?
Step 1 — Games last.
Step 2 — Maths before English → Maths … English … Games
Answer: Maths, English, Games
Library 10:00–10:40; Art 10:30–11:00. Do they overlap?
Step 1 — Library ends 10:40; Art starts 10:30.
Step 2 — 10:30–10:40 both run → overlap 10 minutes.
Answer: Yes, overlap 10:00–10:40 vs 10:30–11:00 → 10:30–10:40.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Before" reversed | Language trap | Before = earlier |
| Ignoring "immediately" | Extra events inserted | No gap allowed |
| Duration arithmetic error | Minutes past hour | Count on clock face or number line |
| Same-time assumed ordered | Tie not specified | If same start, clue must say who first |
Quick check
- A before B, B before C — write order.
- Period 9:00–9:45 — duration?
- Two events overlap — what must be true about their times?
- Stretch: Five tasks; only clue: D after A; B before C; C before D — partial order?
Revision tip: Draw today's school timetable — mark which period is longest and which pair has no gap between them.
Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Scheduling Puzzles.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- What you'll learn
- Key concepts
- Worked example
- Common mistakes
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