What Are Time Zones? | Worksheet - Free Printable

Problem Overview:

The task involves understanding time zones in the United States and applying this knowledge to solve specific questions. The map provided shows four time zones in the U.S.: Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern. Each time zone is separated by one hour. Additionally, Alaska and Hawaii have their own unique time zones.

Key Information from the Map:

1. Pacific Time Zone: Covers the westernmost part of the U.S.
2. Mountain Time Zone: One hour ahead of Pacific Time.
3. Central Time Zone: One hour ahead of Mountain Time.
4. Eastern Time Zone: One hour ahead of Central Time.
5. Alaska Time Zone: Generally three hours behind Eastern Time (except for parts of Alaska on Hawaii-Aleutian Time).
6. Hawaii Time Zone: Generally five hours behind Eastern Time.

Questions to Solve:

#### 1. If it is 5:00 pm in Miami, what time is it in Boise?
- Miami is in the Eastern Time Zone.
- Boise is in the Mountain Time Zone.
- The difference between Eastern Time and Mountain Time is 2 hours (Eastern is 2 hours ahead of Mountain).
- If it is 5:00 pm in Miami (Eastern Time), then in Boise (Mountain Time), it will be:
\[
5:00 \, \text{pm} - 2 \, \text{hours} = 3:00 \, \text{pm}
\]

#### 2. If it is 10:00 am in San Francisco, what time is it in Denver?
- San Francisco is in the Pacific Time Zone.
- Denver is in the Mountain Time Zone.
- The difference between Pacific Time and Mountain Time is 1 hour (Mountain is 1 hour ahead of Pacific).
- If it is 10:00 am in San Francisco (Pacific Time), then in Denver (Mountain Time), it will be:
\[
10:00 \, \text{am} + 1 \, \text{hour} = 11:00 \, \text{am}
\]

#### 3. If it is 12:00 pm in New York, what time is it in Los Angeles?
- New York is in the Eastern Time Zone.
- Los Angeles is in the Pacific Time Zone.
- The difference between Eastern Time and Pacific Time is 3 hours (Eastern is 3 hours ahead of Pacific).
- If it is 12:00 pm in New York (Eastern Time), then in Los Angeles (Pacific Time), it will be:
\[
12:00 \, \text{pm} - 3 \, \text{hours} = 9:00 \, \text{am}
\]

#### 4. If it is 7:30 pm in Dallas, what time is it in Atlanta?
- Dallas is in the Central Time Zone.
- Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone.
- The difference between Central Time and Eastern Time is 1 hour (Eastern is 1 hour ahead of Central).
- If it is 7:30 pm in Dallas (Central Time), then in Atlanta (Eastern Time), it will be:
\[
7:30 \, \text{pm} + 1 \, \text{hour} = 8:30 \, \text{pm}
\]

#### 5. If it is 8:15 am in Seattle, what time is it in St. Louis?
- Seattle is in the Pacific Time Zone.
- St. Louis is in the Central Time Zone.
- The difference between Pacific Time and Central Time is 2 hours (Central is 2 hours ahead of Pacific).
- If it is 8:15 am in Seattle (Pacific Time), then in St. Louis (Central Time), it will be:
\[
8:15 \, \text{am} + 2 \, \text{hours} = 10:15 \, \text{am}
\]

Challenge Questions:

#### 1. You are flying from Atlanta to San Francisco. The flight begins at 3:00 pm Eastern Time, and the flight is six hours long. When you land in San Francisco, what time will it be in San Francisco?
- Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone.
- San Francisco is in the Pacific Time Zone.
- The difference between Eastern Time and Pacific Time is 3 hours (Pacific is 3 hours behind Eastern).
- The flight starts at 3:00 pm Eastern Time. After a 6-hour flight, the local time in Atlanta would be:
\[
3:00 \, \text{pm} + 6 \, \text{hours} = 9:00 \, \text{pm} \, \text{(Eastern Time)}.
\]
- To find the time in San Francisco, subtract 3 hours:
\[
9:00 \, \text{pm} - 3 \, \text{hours} = 6:00 \, \text{pm} \, \text{(Pacific Time)}.
\]

#### 2. Now, pretend you're flying from Seattle to New York. This is also a six-hour flight. It's 7:00 am in Seattle when you take off. What time will it be in New York when you land?
- Seattle is in the Pacific Time Zone.
- New York is in the Eastern Time Zone.
- The difference between Pacific Time and Eastern Time is 3 hours (Eastern is 3 hours ahead of Pacific).
- The flight starts at 7:00 am Pacific Time. After a 6-hour flight, the local time in Seattle would be:
\[
7:00 \, \text{am} + 6 \, \text{hours} = 1:00 \, \text{pm} \, \text{(Pacific Time)}.
\]
- To find the time in New York, add 3 hours:
\[
1:00 \, \text{pm} + 3 \, \text{hours} = 4:00 \, \text{pm} \, \text{(Eastern Time)}.
\]

Bonus Question:

What time zone do you live in?
- This question is subjective and depends on the location of the person answering. For example, if you live in Chicago, you would say "Central Time Zone."

Final Answers:

1. 3:00 pm
2. 11:00 am
3. 9:00 am
4. 8:30 pm
5. 10:15 am

Challenge Answers:
1. 6:00 pm
2. 4:00 pm

Bonus Answer: (Subjective based on your location)

Boxed Final Answers:

\[
\boxed{3:00 \, \text{pm}, 11:00 \, \text{am}, 9:00 \, \text{am}, 8:30 \, \text{pm}, 10:15 \, \text{am}}
\]