text: plz explain then answer!? i ask my tutor but she didnt understand it!!!!!!   cary has to leave work at 2:30 in order to get in 8 hours of work and a half hour for lunch he will have to start work at ? min after ? just work backwards.  you need to work for 8 hours plus a 1/2 hour lunch (8 1/2 hours).  you need to leave by 2:30 p.m.  so when do you need to start work?  in other words, what time is 8 1/2 hours before 2:30 p.m.  i'm not sure how versed you are at calculating time, but 2:30 is obviously 2 1/2 hours after noon.  then you just need 6 more hours to account for.  6 hours before noon is 6 a.m.  so if you start work at 6:00 a.m. and leave at 2:30 p.m. you will have been at work for 8 1/2 hours.  that's 8 hours of working and 30 minutes (1/2 hour) for lunch.  so the answer is 0 minutes after 6 a.m.