Grade 6Reading: grades 3-4Fractions of a numberPlace valueMultiplicationWord problems
The Case of the Missing Sun Gem
Someone snuck into the Whispering Jungle Ruins last night and snatched the ancient Sun Gem from its pedestal! Head Curator Penny needs your detective skills to inspect the scene, decode the left-behind clues, and find out which explorer is the sneaky thief.
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 | Primary Gadget | Special Gear | Dominant Hand | Hair Style | Secret Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toby Marsh | smoke pellet | camo cloak | left handed | spiky hair | bright flash |
| Mason West | grappling hook | jet pack | left handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Tess Montgomery | glider wings | camo cloak | left handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Ruby Chen | sonic whistle | mag gloves | right handed | spiky hair | water splash |
| Barnaby Finch | sonic whistle | night goggles | left handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Jasper Vance | smoke pellet | stilt boots | right handed | silver hair | water splash |
| Elena Drake | sonic whistle | stilt boots | right handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Ivy Redwood | glider wings | jet pack | right handed | braided hair | bright flash |
| Dr Nora Cruz | laser torch | mag gloves | left handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Hugo Frost | laser torch | camo cloak | right handed | spiky hair | bright flash |
| Zoe Sterling | grappling hook | night goggles | right handed | spiky hair | bright flash |
| Leo Rivers | laser torch | stilt boots | left handed | silver hair | water splash |
| Professor Dax | smoke pellet | stilt boots | left handed | silver hair | water splash |
| Gavin Steele | sonic whistle | stilt boots | right handed | silver hair | loud whistle |
| Clara Fox | glider wings | jet pack | left handed | silver hair | loud whistle |
| Officer Trent | sonic whistle | stilt boots | right handed | braided hair | loud whistle |
| Sienna Ray | smoke pellet | jet pack | left handed | spiky hair | water splash |
| Piper Blake | sonic whistle | night goggles | left handed | silver hair | loud whistle |
| Harper Vance | glider wings | night goggles | left handed | silver hair | water splash |
| Sammy Stone | glider wings | stilt boots | left handed | silver hair | bright flash |
| Felix Vance | grappling hook | night goggles | left handed | braided hair | loud whistle |
Clue 1
Fractions of a number
A shredded jungle map was found near the altar. Piecing together a fraction of the map grid reveals the first clue.
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
17
28
29
11
27
40
40
19
27
25
26
10
29
8
25
10
T
17
3
29
19
30
35
19
34
34
40
10
11
29
8
1/3 of 51 =T
3/6 of 68 =G
1/2 of 38 =A
4/10 of 70 =H
7/10 of 50 =M
1/3 of 30 =O
1/3 of 33 =V
1/4 of 116 =E
8/10 of 50 =L
2/4 of 52 =D
4/8 of 54 =I
2/4 of 60 =R
1/6 of 150 =N
2/5 of 20 =S
4/8 of 6 =W
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Place value
The vault keypad locked up after the break in. Working out the place values on the digital screen unlocks a secret note.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
600
500
30
6000
90
400
400
400
4000
W
600
30
10
90
100
300
5000
4000
W
600
W
600
500
30
10
700
90
8000
30
10
4000
6000
300
What is the value of the 6 in 85,683?W
What is the value of the 8 in 578,147?F
What is the value of the 5 in 26,580?I
What is the value of the 1 in 29,214?H
What is the value of the 1 in 376,109?M
What is the value of the 3 in 20,731?T
What is the value of the 4 in 58,451?S
What is the value of the 6 in 886,899?N
What is the value of the 5 in 485,271?R
What is the value of the 3 in 605,327?D
What is the value of the 4 in 264,092?A
What is the value of the 7 in 544,744?L
What is the value of the 9 in 68,190?E
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The villain left tracks across several rows of stone tiles. Multiplying the tiles in each grid row uncovers clear 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
25
42
1
4
49
11
11
1
4
132
81
1
1
108
132
4
49
27
11
4
5
9
42
T
25
132
81
14
108
42
1
108
5 × 5 =T
9 × 9 =L
1 × 1 =E
7 × 2 =A
9 × 1 =G
9 × 12 =S
11 × 1 =B
2 × 2 =R
3 × 9 =M
12 × 11 =F
1 × 5 =I
7 × 6 =H
7 × 7 =O
0/13 letters found
Clue 4
Word problems
The head curator left inventory logs from the expedition. Solving the supply word problem uncovers a hidden witness statement.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandof hairturnedupatthescene.
S
11
9
62
15
14
32
38
A
9
32
There were 27 golden coin. 16 were used up. How many golden coin are left?S
Senior Explorer lined up 5 rows of 3 jungle map. How many jungle map in all?V
There were 93 ancient compass. 31 were used up. How many ancient compass are left?L
Senior Explorer found 5 bronze idol yesterday and 33 more today. How many bronze idol in all?H
Senior Explorer lined up 2 rows of 7 bronze idol. How many bronze idol in all?E
There were 42 ruby crystal. 33 were used up. How many ruby crystal are left?I
There were 40 golden coin. 8 were used up. How many golden coin are left?R
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The team found a broken crystal lens that splits light into equal parts. Calculating a fraction of the light rays decodes the final 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
4/8 of 4 = ?
1/2 of 16 = ?
1/4 of 28 = ?
1/8 of 24 = ?
2/5 of 10 = ?
3/6 of 2 = ?
1/3 of 15 = ?
1/6 of 36 = ?
1/2 of 20 = ?
5/10 of 18 = ?
2/10 of 60 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then stepped over the tripwires using stilt boots.
2.The villain shattered the alarm glass with a sonic whistle, then spotted the target using night goggles.
3.The villain escaped through the fog using a smoke pellet, then stepped over the tripwires using stilt boots.
4.The villain escaped through the fog using a smoke pellet, then scaled the tall stone wall using mag gloves.
5.The villain soared over the jungle canopy with glider wings, then zoomed across the treetops on a jet pack.
6.The villain escaped through the fog using a smoke pellet, then faded into the shadows under a camo cloak.
7.The villain soared over the jungle canopy with glider wings, then stepped over the tripwires using stilt boots.
8.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then zoomed across the treetops on a jet pack.
9.The villain escaped through the fog using a smoke pellet, then zoomed across the treetops on a jet pack.
10.The villain melted the lock using a laser torch, then faded into the shadows under a camo cloak.
11.The villain soared over the jungle canopy with glider wings, then faded into the shadows under a camo cloak.
12.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then scaled the tall stone wall using mag gloves.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Missing Sun Gem
Culprit: Tess Montgomery (glider wings · camo cloak · left handed · silver hair · bright flash)
- Clue 1 (Fractions of a number): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT WEAR MAG GLOVES"1/3 of 51 = 17 (T) · 3/6 of 68 = 34 (G) · 1/2 of 38 = 19 (A) · 4/10 of 70 = 28 (H) · 7/10 of 50 = 35 (M) · 1/3 of 30 = 10 (O) · 1/3 of 33 = 11 (V) · 1/4 of 116 = 29 (E) · 8/10 of 50 = 40 (L) · 2/4 of 52 = 26 (D) · 4/8 of 54 = 27 (I) · 2/4 of 60 = 30 (R) · 1/6 of 150 = 25 (N) · 2/5 of 20 = 8 (S) · 4/8 of 6 = 3 (W)
- Clue 2 (Place value): "WITNESS SAW THEM DRAW WITH LEFT HAND"What is the value of the 6 in 85,683? = 600 (W) · What is the value of the 8 in 578,147? = 8000 (F) · What is the value of the 5 in 26,580? = 500 (I) · What is the value of the 1 in 29,214? = 10 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 376,109? = 100 (M) · What is the value of the 3 in 20,731? = 30 (T) · What is the value of the 4 in 58,451? = 400 (S) · What is the value of the 6 in 886,899? = 6000 (N) · What is the value of the 5 in 485,271? = 5000 (R) · What is the value of the 3 in 605,327? = 300 (D) · What is the value of the 4 in 264,092? = 4000 (A) · What is the value of the 7 in 544,744? = 700 (L) · What is the value of the 9 in 68,190? = 90 (E)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE ROBBER FLEES FROM BRIGHT FLASHES"5 × 5 = 25 (T) · 9 × 9 = 81 (L) · 1 × 1 = 1 (E) · 7 × 2 = 14 (A) · 9 × 1 = 9 (G) · 9 × 12 = 108 (S) · 11 × 1 = 11 (B) · 2 × 2 = 4 (R) · 3 × 9 = 27 (M) · 12 × 11 = 132 (F) · 1 × 5 = 5 (I) · 7 × 6 = 42 (H) · 7 × 7 = 49 (O)
- Clue 4 (Word problems): "SILVER HAIR"There were 27 golden coin. 16 were used up. How many golden coin are left? = 11 (S) · Senior Explorer lined up 5 rows of 3 jungle map. How many jungle map in all? = 15 (V) · There were 93 ancient compass. 31 were used up. How many ancient compass are left? = 62 (L) · Senior Explorer found 5 bronze idol yesterday and 33 more today. How many bronze idol in all? = 38 (H) · Senior Explorer lined up 2 rows of 7 bronze idol. How many bronze idol in all? = 14 (E) · There were 42 ruby crystal. 33 were used up. How many ruby crystal are left? = 9 (I) · There were 40 golden coin. 8 were used up. How many golden coin are left? = 32 (R)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 11) → Tess Montgomery4/8 of 4 = 2 · 1/2 of 16 = 8 · 1/4 of 28 = 7 · 1/8 of 24 = 3 · 2/5 of 10 = 4 · 3/6 of 2 = 1 · 1/3 of 15 = 5 · 1/6 of 36 = 6 · 1/2 of 20 = 10 · 5/10 of 18 = 9 · 2/10 of 60 = 12
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 6 math
- Math topics
- Fractions of a number, Place value, Multiplication, Word problems
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Missing Sun Gem — set in The Whispering Jungle Ruins
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects