Grade 6Reading: grades 3-4PercentagesExponentsOrder of operationsMultiplicationDivision

The Golden Sun Compass Caper

A sneaky explorer took the Golden Sun Compass right out of the museum tent at Serpent Island Trail! Detective, solve the math clues to uncover who did it before they escape down the river.

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	Main Tool	Extra Gear	Dominant Hand	Headwear	Secret Flaw
Gabe Gear	Paraglider	Night Vision	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Chloe Cliff	Paraglider	Mini Drone	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Owen Oak	Map Compass	Flare Gun	Left Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Scout Ben	Grappling Hook	Night Vision	Left Handed	Blue Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Pia Peak	Climbing Spikes	Flare Gun	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Sneezes At Feathers
Elena Cruz	Paraglider	Night Vision	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Archie Pine	Climbing Spikes	Waterproof Bag	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Ruby River	Climbing Spikes	Sonic Whistle	Left Handed	Blue Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Ranger Rita	Paraglider	Mini Drone	Right Handed	Green Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Hugo Hill	Climbing Spikes	Flare Gun	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Tracker Tom	Grappling Hook	Night Vision	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Danny Dash	Smoke Bomb	Waterproof Bag	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Finn Forest	Paraglider	Night Vision	Right Handed	Green Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Tara Trail	Map Compass	Mini Drone	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Sasha Stone	Paraglider	Sonic Whistle	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Maya Moon	Climbing Spikes	Waterproof Bag	Left Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Jack Jungle	Map Compass	Sonic Whistle	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Zoe Zipline	Map Compass	Mini Drone	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Captain Leo	Map Compass	Waterproof Bag	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs
Sammy Swift	Climbing Spikes	Sonic Whistle	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Allergic To Dust
Ivy Vine	Map Compass	Sonic Whistle	Left Handed	Blue Bandana	Afraid Of Frogs

Clue 1

Percentages

The museum security board shows the percentage of campsite alarms triggered today.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

10% of 280 =T

10% of 200 =H

20% of 55 =V

25% of 136 =I

25% of 76 =S

50% of 34 =A

50% of 12 =W

60% of 35 =L

75% of 40 =D

25% of 12 =C

50% of 86 =N

25% of 32 =Y

50% of 80 =O

5% of 900 =R

5% of 80 =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Exponents

To unlock the ancient stone gate, you must calculate the power grid values.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

256

343

169

121

256

343

100

216

169

121

343

289

343

169

324

4^2 =A

3^4 =U

6^3 =L

5^2 =H

7^3 =T

18^2 =D

8^2 =R

2^2 =E

10^2 =V

11^2 =S

2^8 =W

13^2 =N

3^3 =I

17^2 =G

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Order of operations

To decrypt the trail log, follow the exact steps on the explorer notebook.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

9 × 9 - 21 =T

59 + 3 × 6 =R

12 × 3 - 9 =N

11 + 2 × 6 =F

12 × 6 - 13 =I

18 + 2 × 9 =Y

2 × 12 - 14 =A

11 × 7 - 12 =H

7 × 9 - 15 =G

15 + 5 × 6 =O

58 + 3 × 5 =E

4 + 9 × 5 =W

7 × 9 - 29 =L

28 + 2 × 5 =M

18 + 2 × 3 =V

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

Count the rows of supply crates left near the river landing.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

120

4 × 7 =S

2 × 12 =H

7 × 7 =A

1 × 7 =N

12 × 7 =O

7 × 3 =C

10 × 12 =D

5 × 9 =R

11 × 5 =B

10 × 6 =F

9 × 7 =U

5 × 2 =E

0/12 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

Split the discovery rations evenly among the campsite search teams.

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

3 ÷ 3 = ?

20 ÷ 2 = ?

35 ÷ 7 = ?

32 ÷ 8 = ?

132 ÷ 12 = ?

63 ÷ 9 = ?

48 ÷ 4 = ?

21 ÷ 7 = ?

6 ÷ 1 = ?

64 ÷ 8 = ?

4 ÷ 2 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain soared over the canopy on a paraglider, then spied through the dark using night vision.

2.The villain soared over the canopy on a paraglider, then packed the golden idol inside a waterproof bag.

3.The villain vanished into the brush with a smoke bomb, then signaled an accomplice with a sonic whistle.

4.The villain scaled the stone cliff using climbing spikes, then scouted the path ahead with a mini drone.

5.The villain navigated the jungle using a map compass, then packed the golden idol inside a waterproof bag.

6.The villain vanished into the brush with a smoke bomb, then scouted the path ahead with a mini drone.

7.The villain soared over the canopy on a paraglider, then lit the campsite using a flare gun.

8.The villain soared over the canopy on a paraglider, then signaled an accomplice with a sonic whistle.

9.The villain navigated the jungle using a map compass, then scouted the path ahead with a mini drone.

10.The villain swung across the ravine with a grappling hook, then spied through the dark using night vision.

11.The villain scaled the stone cliff using climbing spikes, then lit the campsite using a flare gun.

12.The villain scaled the stone cliff using climbing spikes, then packed the golden idol inside a waterproof bag.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Golden Sun Compass Caper

Culprit: Tara Trail (Map Compass · Mini Drone · Right Handed · Red Bandana · Afraid Of Frogs)

Clue 1 (Percentages): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT CARRY A SONIC WHISTLE"
10% of 280 = 28 (T) · 10% of 200 = 20 (H) · 20% of 55 = 11 (V) · 25% of 136 = 34 (I) · 25% of 76 = 19 (S) · 50% of 34 = 17 (A) · 50% of 12 = 6 (W) · 60% of 35 = 21 (L) · 75% of 40 = 30 (D) · 25% of 12 = 3 (C) · 50% of 86 = 43 (N) · 25% of 32 = 8 (Y) · 50% of 80 = 40 (O) · 5% of 900 = 45 (R) · 5% of 80 = 4 (E)
Clue 2 (Exponents): "A WITNESS SAW THE VILLAIN USE THEIR RIGHT HAND"
4^2 = 16 (A) · 3^4 = 81 (U) · 6^3 = 216 (L) · 5^2 = 25 (H) · 7^3 = 343 (T) · 18^2 = 324 (D) · 8^2 = 64 (R) · 2^2 = 4 (E) · 10^2 = 100 (V) · 11^2 = 121 (S) · 2^8 = 256 (W) · 13^2 = 169 (N) · 3^3 = 27 (I) · 17^2 = 289 (G)
Clue 3 (Order of operations): "THE VILLAIN RAN AWAY FROM A TREE FROG"
9 × 9 - 21 = 60 (T) · 59 + 3 × 6 = 77 (R) · 12 × 3 - 9 = 27 (N) · 11 + 2 × 6 = 23 (F) · 12 × 6 - 13 = 59 (I) · 18 + 2 × 9 = 36 (Y) · 2 × 12 - 14 = 10 (A) · 11 × 7 - 12 = 65 (H) · 7 × 9 - 15 = 48 (G) · 15 + 5 × 6 = 45 (O) · 58 + 3 × 5 = 73 (E) · 4 + 9 × 5 = 49 (W) · 7 × 9 - 29 = 34 (L) · 28 + 2 × 5 = 38 (M) · 18 + 2 × 3 = 24 (V)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "SEARCHERS FOUND A RED BANDANA ON A BRANCH"
4 × 7 = 28 (S) · 2 × 12 = 24 (H) · 7 × 7 = 49 (A) · 1 × 7 = 7 (N) · 12 × 7 = 84 (O) · 7 × 3 = 21 (C) · 10 × 12 = 120 (D) · 5 × 9 = 45 (R) · 11 × 5 = 55 (B) · 10 × 6 = 60 (F) · 9 × 7 = 63 (U) · 5 × 2 = 10 (E)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 9) → Tara Trail
3 ÷ 3 = 1 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10 · 35 ÷ 7 = 5 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 132 ÷ 12 = 11 · 63 ÷ 9 = 7 · 48 ÷ 4 = 12 · 21 ÷ 7 = 3 · 6 ÷ 1 = 6 · 64 ÷ 8 = 8 · 4 ÷ 2 = 2

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 6 math
Math topics: Percentages, Exponents, Order of operations, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Golden Sun Compass Caper — set in Serpent Island Trail
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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