text: Just work backwards.  You need to work for 8 hours plus a 1/2 hour lunch (8 1/2 hours).\n\nYou 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.\n\nI'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.\n\nSo 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.\n\nSo the answer is 0 minutes after 6 a.m.