Help with a word problem

Question

4:00PM is 5 hours before 4 hours before right now. What time was it 1 hour ago? 

Answer 1

Abby, This is a great opportunity for a timeline.

Draw a horizontal line across the paper.

Put a mark under the right end of the line. Write the word “now” under the mark.

Move left the width of your finger and make a mark, do this three more times, so you have four marks to the left of the “now”. So the one on the left is the “4 hours before right now”.

Now, move left and make a mark, 5 times. Now the one on the left is “5 hours before 4 hours before right now”

Now write “4 PM” on the mark on the farthest left.

What time is it right now? Count the marks, starting at 4 PM.

Once you you know what time it is right now, go back one hour to find what time it was one hour ago.