🦕 DinosaursGrade 3Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationRoundingAdditionSubtractionDivision
The Dinosaur Dig Disaster
A priceless Spinosaurus claw fossil was stolen from the excavation site at Fern Ridge! Use your math skills and deductive reasoning to uncover the sneaky saboteur before the convoy leaves.
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 | Dino Tool | Field Gear | Dominant Hand | Trace Fiber | Vulnerability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Chin | Sonic Chisel | Mag Drone | Left Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Mud Splash |
| Rex Tracker | Laser Scraper | Jet Pack | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Mud Splash |
| Claire Dearing | Laser Scraper | Night Goggles | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
| Ian Malcolm | Laser Scraper | Heat Sensor | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
| Sue Hendrickson | Amber Scanner | Heat Sensor | Left Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Flash Bulb |
| Fossil Phil | Amber Scanner | Heat Sensor | Right Handed | Blue Tweed Strand | Mud Splash |
| Mary Anning | Laser Scraper | Grapple Hook | Left Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Flash Bulb |
| Robert Bakker | Laser Scraper | Night Goggles | Right Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Mud Splash |
| Roy Chapman Andrews | Sonic Chisel | Night Goggles | Left Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
| Dong Zhiming | Amber Scanner | Jet Pack | Left Handed | Blue Tweed Strand | Flash Bulb |
| Talon Flint | Amber Scanner | Jet Pack | Left Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Mud Splash |
| Paul Sereno | Sonic Chisel | Night Goggles | Right Handed | Blue Tweed Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Digby Stone | Ground Radar | Night Goggles | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
| Edward Cope | Sonic Chisel | Grapple Hook | Left Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Loud Whistle |
| Luis Chiappe | Amber Scanner | Grapple Hook | Left Handed | Blue Tweed Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Patricia Vickers | Sonic Chisel | Grapple Hook | Left Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Flash Bulb |
| Barnum Brown | Ground Radar | Grapple Hook | Left Handed | Green Canvas Thread | Flash Bulb |
| Xu Xing | Laser Scraper | Grapple Hook | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Mud Splash |
| Ellie Sattler | Sonic Chisel | Mag Drone | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
| Othniel Marsh | Sonic Chisel | Jet Pack | Right Handed | Blue Tweed Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Owen Grady | Sonic Chisel | Grapple Hook | Right Handed | Red Cap Fiber | Loud Whistle |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
To check the supply crates, you multiply the number of tool trays by the items in each row.
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
64
108
5
100
50
36
36
8
50
11
55
80
5
77
11
80
T
64
90
77
5
8
3
8
40
55
99
80
11
5
8 × 8 =T
9 × 11 =R
7 × 11 =S
4 × 9 =L
9 × 12 =H
1 × 3 =M
4 × 10 =G
10 × 10 =V
5 × 11 =D
9 × 10 =U
1 × 8 =A
11 × 1 =N
5 × 1 =E
5 × 10 =I
10 × 8 =O
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The digital quarry scale shows weight estimates that round to the nearest hundred pounds.
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
90
60
900
T
90
200
8000
300
80
70
9000
900
200
900
2000
8000
600
900
3000
500
8000
200
50
4000
60
T
90
60
8000
40
600
900
600
70
40
900
8000
80
Round 92 to the nearest tenT
Round 7,540 to the nearest thousandA
Round 595 to the nearest hundredD
Round 8,575 to the nearest thousandW
Round 52 to the nearest tenI
Round 36 to the nearest tenN
Round 487 to the nearest hundredY
Round 83 to the nearest tenK
Round 260 to the nearest hundredC
Round 1,980 to the nearest thousandM
Round 3,850 to the nearest thousandG
Round 74 to the nearest tenS
Round 944 to the nearest hundredE
Round 162 to the nearest hundredR
Round 63 to the nearest tenH
Round 2,596 to the nearest thousandB
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Addition
You total up all the bone fragments gathered across the three dig sectors.
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
411
811
296
238
455
618
847
907
725
468
811
416
455
855
296
217
416
468
847
416
855
A
411
217
A
411
682
416
855
A
411
618
A
411
470
137 + 274 =A
543 + 312 =R
359 + 488 =H
277 + 630 =I
248 + 207 =D
173 + 243 =E
238 + 444 =G
305 + 313 =W
229 + 239 =T
92 + 125 =V
127 + 111 =U
158 + 312 =Y
513 + 298 =L
142 + 154 =O
329 + 396 =S
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Subtraction
You take the initial count of survey maps and subtract those left in the field tent.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
R
501
575
504
378
204
836
861
763
165
575
R
501
711
204
242
737
575
861
840
196
497
840
511
575
504
763
878
840
575
497
840
827 - 326 =R
547 - 50 =N
218 - 53 =B
975 - 264 =W
911 - 174 =L
845 - 9 =P
990 - 112 =G
632 - 390 =S
1026 - 165 =F
492 - 114 =C
850 - 339 =H
862 - 287 =E
497 - 293 =A
717 - 213 =D
1122 - 282 =T
390 - 194 =O
883 - 120 =I
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
You share the specimen jars equally among all the research teams at the site.
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
12 ÷ 6 = ?
132 ÷ 11 = ?
77 ÷ 7 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
27 ÷ 3 = ?
56 ÷ 7 = ?
11 ÷ 11 = ?
24 ÷ 6 = ?
42 ÷ 6 = ?
20 ÷ 2 = ?
15 ÷ 5 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain zapped with a laser scraper, then floated a mag drone.
2.The villain swept with ground radar, then crept around in night goggles.
3.The villain tuned an amber scanner, then tracked heat with a heat sensor.
4.The villain swept with ground radar, then tracked heat with a heat sensor.
5.The villain zapped with a laser scraper, then tracked heat with a heat sensor.
6.The villain used a sonic chisel, then escaped on a jet pack.
7.The villain coated the fossil in plaster, then crept around in night goggles.
8.The villain used a sonic chisel, then floated a mag drone.
9.The villain swept with ground radar, then scaled the quarry with a grapple hook.
10.The villain tuned an amber scanner, then crept around in night goggles.
11.The villain zapped with a laser scraper, then crept around in night goggles.
12.The villain used a sonic chisel, then scaled the quarry with a grapple hook.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Dinosaur Dig Disaster
Culprit: Ian Malcolm (Laser Scraper · Heat Sensor · Right Handed · Red Cap Fiber · Loud Whistle)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A MAG DRONE"8 × 8 = 64 (T) · 9 × 11 = 99 (R) · 7 × 11 = 77 (S) · 4 × 9 = 36 (L) · 9 × 12 = 108 (H) · 1 × 3 = 3 (M) · 4 × 10 = 40 (G) · 10 × 10 = 100 (V) · 5 × 11 = 55 (D) · 9 × 10 = 90 (U) · 1 × 8 = 8 (A) · 11 × 1 = 11 (N) · 5 × 1 = 5 (E) · 5 × 10 = 50 (I) · 10 × 8 = 80 (O)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE TRACKS WERE MADE BY A RIGHT HANDED SNEAK"Round 92 to the nearest ten = 90 (T) · Round 7,540 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (A) · Round 595 to the nearest hundred = 600 (D) · Round 8,575 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (W) · Round 52 to the nearest ten = 50 (I) · Round 36 to the nearest ten = 40 (N) · Round 487 to the nearest hundred = 500 (Y) · Round 83 to the nearest ten = 80 (K) · Round 260 to the nearest hundred = 300 (C) · Round 1,980 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (M) · Round 3,850 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (G) · Round 74 to the nearest ten = 70 (S) · Round 944 to the nearest hundred = 900 (E) · Round 162 to the nearest hundred = 200 (R) · Round 63 to the nearest ten = 60 (H) · Round 2,596 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (B)
- Clue 3 (Addition): "A LOUD WHISTLE DROVE THE RAVAGER AWAY"137 + 274 = 411 (A) · 543 + 312 = 855 (R) · 359 + 488 = 847 (H) · 277 + 630 = 907 (I) · 248 + 207 = 455 (D) · 173 + 243 = 416 (E) · 238 + 444 = 682 (G) · 305 + 313 = 618 (W) · 229 + 239 = 468 (T) · 92 + 125 = 217 (V) · 127 + 111 = 238 (U) · 158 + 312 = 470 (Y) · 513 + 298 = 811 (L) · 142 + 154 = 296 (O) · 329 + 396 = 725 (S)
- Clue 4 (Subtraction): "RED CAP FIBER WAS LEFT ON THE DIG TENT"827 - 326 = 501 (R) · 547 - 50 = 497 (N) · 218 - 53 = 165 (B) · 975 - 264 = 711 (W) · 911 - 174 = 737 (L) · 845 - 9 = 836 (P) · 990 - 112 = 878 (G) · 632 - 390 = 242 (S) · 1026 - 165 = 861 (F) · 492 - 114 = 378 (C) · 850 - 339 = 511 (H) · 862 - 287 = 575 (E) · 497 - 293 = 204 (A) · 717 - 213 = 504 (D) · 1122 - 282 = 840 (T) · 390 - 194 = 196 (O) · 883 - 120 = 763 (I)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 5) → Ian Malcolm12 ÷ 6 = 2 · 132 ÷ 11 = 12 · 77 ÷ 7 = 11 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 27 ÷ 3 = 9 · 56 ÷ 7 = 8 · 11 ÷ 11 = 1 · 24 ÷ 6 = 4 · 42 ÷ 6 = 7 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10 · 15 ÷ 5 = 3
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Dinosaur Dig Disaster — set in Fern Ridge Fossil Reserve
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects