A timetable helps people plan together — Civics, 4–6
Times written in order help many people use a place or service without guessing. Civics, 4–6 years.
A timetable tells us when things happen
A timetable puts activities or journeys in time order. You can use it to know when a bus leaves, when a library opens or when a shared class begins, so you do not have to guess or ask everyone separately.
Why do we need a timetable?
If everyone arrives whenever they like, a bus may leave empty or people may wait with no idea how long. Timetables solve this coordination problem by giving many people the same plan, even when they do not know one another.
Reading three bus times
The timetable says: 08:10, 08:30 and 08:50. You need to leave at 08:30, so first find the hour, then the minutes, and choose the middle time. If you arrive at 08:32, that bus has gone; the next one is 08:50.
The printed time is not a promise to wait
You may think that arriving at 08:30 is fine if the timetable says 08:30. That makes sense because the numbers look like an appointment, but a departure time usually means the bus leaves then; arriving a little early is safer.
Where this helps
You can use timetables for buses, trains, story time at the library, swimming sessions and school events. Check the day as well as the time, because a Saturday timetable may not be the same as Monday’s.
Keep exploring
Other languages
Loading MyLeoNes™…