2nd Grade Tape Diagram Word Problems Worksheet

A bar model for part and whole

A tape diagram (or bar model) draws a problem so students can see the structure: the whole sits above the bar, and the parts sit inside it. The thinking is part-part-whole — if a part is missing, subtract from the whole; if the whole is missing, add the parts. This model is a Common Core mainstay and a powerful step toward algebra.

How to use it

For each diagram, have students ask “Is the whole missing, or a part?” Whole missing → add the parts; part missing → subtract from the whole. Builds on number bonds and supports word problems.