2nd Grade Tape Diagram Word Problems Worksheet
Use each tape diagram (bar model) to find the missing part or whole, then solve the problem.
- Homework
- Centers
- Review
- Test Prep
- Intervention
Download the Free Printable PDF
No sign-up required. Clean, low-ink US Letter format.
- Grade
- 2nd Grade
- Subject
- Math
- Skill
- Word Problems
- Topic
- part-part-whole tape diagrams
- Difficulty
- Standard
- Time
- 14 minutes
- Pages
- 2 (incl. answer key)
- Format
- Printable PDF (US Letter)
- Answer key
- Included
- Best for
- homework, centers, review, test prep, intervention
Worksheet details
What This Worksheet Practices
Students will use part-part-whole tape diagrams (bar models) to solve addition and subtraction problems.
- Reading a part-part-whole bar model
- Finding a missing part (subtract)
- Finding the whole (add the parts)
Inside This Printable
Student directions: Use each tape diagram to find the missing number. The number above the bar is the whole; the pieces are the parts.
Worked example
Whole 20, parts 12 and ?: 20 - 12 = 8.
Sample questions
- Maya read 12 pages, then some more, for 20 pages in all. Find the missing part.
- There are 35 crayons in all. 20 are red and the rest are blue. How many are blue?
- A team scored 16 points, then 9 more. Find the whole.
The PDF contains 6 practice questions plus 2 challenge questions.
Worksheet Preview
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.
👩🏫 Teacher note
The tape diagram shows the whole above the bar and the parts inside. If the whole is missing, add the parts; if a part is missing, subtract from the whole. This bar model is a Common Core staple.
🏠 Parent note
The number above the bar is the whole. The pieces inside are the parts. Parts add to the whole.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Adding when the whole is known and a part is missing
- Misreading which quantity is the whole
Answer Key
Each answer shows the missing number and how it was found.
⬇ Download Answer Key (PDF)Learn this skill first
Take the free lesson on word problems — worked examples and practice exercises, then come back to this worksheet.
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Yes — a complete answer key is included.
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