🏀 BasketballGrade 10Reading: grades 5-6Fractions of a numberPythagorean theoremSquare rootsExponents
The Case of the Missing Championship Basketball
Just minutes before the final buzzer of the season, the gold championship basketball vanished from the center court display trophy case. The referee paused the game, and security sealed all locker room doors. Detective Sam stepped onto the shiny hardwood floor to interview the star players and solve the mystery.
Suspects
Possible suspects
Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.
21 of 21 still in play
| Name | Signature Move | Favored Gear | Shooting Hand | Hairstyle | Court Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Fadeaway | Grip Socks | Right-handed shooter | Afro | Squeaky Shoes |
| Magic Johnson | Fadeaway | Headband | Right-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Squeaky Shoes |
| Steve Nash | Fadeaway | Neon Hightops | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Kyrie Irving | Fadeaway | Grip Socks | Left-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Loud Whistle |
| Luka Doncic | Nolook Pass | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Tim Duncan | Crossover | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Loud Whistle |
| Michael Jordan | Sky Hook | Padded Arm Sleeve | Right-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Slippery Floor |
| Allen Iverson | Crossover | Headband | Right-handed shooter | Braids | Slippery Floor |
| Nikola Jokic | Crossover | Grip Socks | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Slippery Floor |
| Anthony Davis | Nolook Pass | Ankle Braces | Right-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Slippery Floor |
| Dwyane Wade | Sky Hook | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Slippery Floor |
| Damian Lillard | Sky Hook | Neon Hightops | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Jayson Tatum | Nolook Pass | Padded Arm Sleeve | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Kawhi Leonard | Nolook Pass | Ankle Braces | Right-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Larry Bird | Sky Hook | Padded Arm Sleeve | Right-handed shooter | Braids | Slippery Floor |
| Kobe Bryant | Fadeaway | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Afro | Slippery Floor |
| Kevin Durant | Fadeaway | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| LeBron James | Nolook Pass | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Afro | Loud Whistle |
| Devin Booker | Nolook Pass | Headband | Left-handed shooter | Braids | Squeaky Shoes |
| Dirk Nowitzki | Eurostep | Ankle Braces | Right-handed shooter | Braids | Loud Whistle |
| Charles Barkley | Nolook Pass | Ankle Braces | Right-handed shooter | Buzz Cut | Squeaky Shoes |
Clue 1
Fractions of a number
The arena manager checked a fraction of the court seats to narrow down where the mystery suspect slipped past security.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
55
3
39
6
13
6
31
39
28
T
55
23
11
39
6
60
11
T
55
7
39
18
16
18
31
18
23
23
39
23
18
16
57
6
21
39
39
47
39
2/4 of 110 =T
2/10 of 105 =L
3/6 of 120 =N
1/10 of 130 =U
6/8 of 24 =A
1/5 of 55 =O
1/6 of 186 =P
4/8 of 6 =H
1/2 of 94 =V
1/2 of 32 =R
3/6 of 14 =W
2/10 of 115 =D
2/8 of 156 =E
4/8 of 114 =M
1/4 of 24 =S
1/6 of 168 =C
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Pythagorean theorem
Detectives measured the diagonal distance of the suspect's escape path across the court using right triangles.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
13
17
5
15
68
10
125
125
125
A
13
17
A
13
30
10
26
15
116
A
13
68
74
10
74
125
116
65
65
15
10
75
30
10
A
13
111
10
legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse =A
legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =R
legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse =V
legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse =O
legs 18 and 24, hypotenuse =L
legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse =D
legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse =W
legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =T
legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse =S
legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse =F
legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse =H
legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse =E
legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse =I
legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse =N
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Square roots
The security team calculated the side lengths of the square storage room to locate a hidden piece of evidence.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
4
18
22
25
22
8
22
25
22
22
21
13
22
5
10
12
22
25
9
13
20
19
11
5
18
24
16
T
4
13
22
sqrt(16) =T
sqrt(121) =D
sqrt(81) =Y
sqrt(256) =S
sqrt(100) =A
sqrt(324) =H
sqrt(25) =W
sqrt(169) =L
sqrt(625) =R
sqrt(576) =I
sqrt(441) =B
sqrt(64) =F
sqrt(144) =V
sqrt(361) =U
sqrt(484) =E
sqrt(400) =O
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Exponents
The sound technician calculated how the stadium speaker volume multiplied power by power during the incident.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
289
625
512
81
49
4
9
128
125
216
81
196
32
64
S
289
9
49
64
196
32
125
49
216
343
441
49
64
4
32
S
289
17^2 =S
8^2 =A
14^2 =N
2^7 =Y
21^2 =B
8^3 =C
2^2 =I
9^2 =U
7^2 =R
2^5 =D
7^3 =M
5^4 =E
6^3 =O
5^3 =F
3^2 =T
0/15 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The lead detective reviewed a small fraction of the remaining video frames to lock down the last clue.
First solve each problem. Then find each answer in the list below and cross that sentence out. One sentence will be left — that's exactly what the villain did!
Step 1 — solve these
9/10 of 10 = ?
1/10 of 80 = ?
1/4 of 44 = ?
5/6 of 6 = ?
2/6 of 3 = ?
5/10 of 12 = ?
2/5 of 10 = ?
2/8 of 12 = ?
2/8 of 40 = ?
4/6 of 3 = ?
4/8 of 14 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain executes a eurostep, then adjusts grip socks.
2.The villain drives with a crossover, then pulls on a padded arm sleeve.
3.The villain fakes a nolook pass, then pulls on a padded arm sleeve.
4.The villain executes a eurostep, then snaps on a headband.
5.The villain drives with a crossover, then snaps on a headband.
6.The villain executes a eurostep, then straps on ankle braces.
7.The villain sinks a fadeaway, then adjusts grip socks.
8.The villain fakes a nolook pass, then snaps on a headband.
9.The villain sinks a fadeaway, then snaps on a headband.
10.The villain drives with a crossover, then laces up neon hightops.
11.The villain sinks a fadeaway, then laces up neon hightops.
12.The villain drills a sky hook, then laces up neon hightops.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Missing Championship Basketball
Culprit: Damian Lillard (Sky Hook · Neon Hightops · Left-handed shooter · Braids · Loud Whistle)
- Clue 1 (Fractions of a number): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT WEAR A PADDED ARM SLEEVE"2/4 of 110 = 55 (T) · 2/10 of 105 = 21 (L) · 3/6 of 120 = 60 (N) · 1/10 of 130 = 13 (U) · 6/8 of 24 = 18 (A) · 1/5 of 55 = 11 (O) · 1/6 of 186 = 31 (P) · 4/8 of 6 = 3 (H) · 1/2 of 94 = 47 (V) · 1/2 of 32 = 16 (R) · 3/6 of 14 = 7 (W) · 2/10 of 115 = 23 (D) · 2/8 of 156 = 39 (E) · 4/8 of 114 = 57 (M) · 1/4 of 24 = 6 (S) · 1/6 of 168 = 28 (C)
- Clue 2 (Pythagorean theorem): "A WITNESS SAW A LEFT HANDED SHOOTER LEAVE"legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse = 13 (A) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (R) · legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse = 111 (V) · legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse = 65 (O) · legs 18 and 24, hypotenuse = 30 (L) · legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse = 74 (D) · legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse = 17 (W) · legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (T) · legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse = 125 (S) · legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse = 26 (F) · legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse = 116 (H) · legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse = 10 (E) · legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse = 5 (I) · legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse = 68 (N)
- Clue 3 (Square roots): "THE REFEREE BLEW A VERY LOUD WHISTLE"sqrt(16) = 4 (T) · sqrt(121) = 11 (D) · sqrt(81) = 9 (Y) · sqrt(256) = 16 (S) · sqrt(100) = 10 (A) · sqrt(324) = 18 (H) · sqrt(25) = 5 (W) · sqrt(169) = 13 (L) · sqrt(625) = 25 (R) · sqrt(576) = 24 (I) · sqrt(441) = 21 (B) · sqrt(64) = 8 (F) · sqrt(144) = 12 (V) · sqrt(361) = 19 (U) · sqrt(484) = 22 (E) · sqrt(400) = 20 (O)
- Clue 4 (Exponents): "SECURITY FOUND A STRAND FROM BRAIDS"17^2 = 289 (S) · 8^2 = 64 (A) · 14^2 = 196 (N) · 2^7 = 128 (Y) · 21^2 = 441 (B) · 8^3 = 512 (C) · 2^2 = 4 (I) · 9^2 = 81 (U) · 7^2 = 49 (R) · 2^5 = 32 (D) · 7^3 = 343 (M) · 5^4 = 625 (E) · 6^3 = 216 (O) · 5^3 = 125 (F) · 3^2 = 9 (T)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 12) → Damian Lillard9/10 of 10 = 9 · 1/10 of 80 = 8 · 1/4 of 44 = 11 · 5/6 of 6 = 5 · 2/6 of 3 = 1 · 5/10 of 12 = 6 · 2/5 of 10 = 4 · 2/8 of 12 = 3 · 2/8 of 40 = 10 · 4/6 of 3 = 2 · 4/8 of 14 = 7
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 10 math
- Math topics
- Fractions of a number, Pythagorean theorem, Square roots, Exponents
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Case of the Missing Championship Basketball — set in The Grand Arena Basketball Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects