A tape diagram is another way to represent
information in a word problem.
We are learning to use tape diagrams to solve problems that
involve both multiplication and division.
A tape diagram starts with a rectangle. The students must
label the tape diagram using information from the problem.
Since multiplication and division problems always involve
number of groups, size of each group and the total, your
child should label 3 things in the diagram.
Since one of the 3 labeled items will be the unknown fact, we
label it with a question mark. The actual answer to the
problem is revealed in sentence form after the diagram is
completed.
Once the tape diagram is labeled with all the known and
unknown information, the sections (called units) are filled in.
This can be done using dots or by skip counting and writing
numbers.
Below is an example of a multiplication type problem,
a labeled tape diagram
and a sentence written to show the solution.