Symbol Math with Shapes: Solve Each Expression

Here is a math worksheet where Shapes carry hidden values, and the child's job is to uncover them and solve. A key sets each picture equal to a small number, and the child commits those values to mind or jots them down. Then come the expressions: several symbols joined by plus and minus signs, waiting to be worked out. The child substitutes the right number for each picture of Shapes, then adds and subtracts in order until a single result remains. Because the answers reach up into the thirties and forties, this is genuine Grade 2 arithmetic, asking the child to handle more than one operation in the same problem. The pictures make every step feel approachable, but make no mistake — the child is truly calculating, one careful substitution at a time.

This version mixes the operations within each expression, so the child adds in one spot and subtracts in another while solving with Shapes. Substituting the right value for each picture and then keeping the order straight is real Grade 2 calculation. The totals can climb toward forty, giving the child solid two-digit answers to write down.

If your child enjoys this math worksheet with Shapes, there is plenty more to solve, at a pace that feels right. You can print the worksheet as a PDF to work on paper, or play the interactive version online, always free and with no sign-up. There are no timers and no scores: each child substitutes, adds, and subtracts in their own time, with warmth and no shame about a tricky problem. When this is easy, try a symbol math worksheet with Shapes that uses longer expressions, or solve the same key with a fresh set of pictures. You can also browse every math worksheet to keep the adding and subtracting going, steadily and at your child's own pace.