question #2 Sahih Muslim 705f, Book 6, Hadith 66 : How does the practice of combining prayers reflect on the flexibility of Islamic prayer times?

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed in Medina seven (rak’ahs) and eight (rak’ahs), i. e. (be combined) the noon and afternoon prayers (eight rak’ahs) and the sunset and ‘Isha’ prayers (seven rak’ahs).