The Great Robo-Factory Glitch
A rogue bot sabotaged the main assembly line at Gear City Bot Works. Solve the math clues to decode the detective notes and expose the culprit.
Possible suspects
Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.
| Name | Primary Tool | Gadget Arm | Antenna Tilt | Wiring Type | System Reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friction Fay | Sonic Screwdriver | Solar Panel | Left Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Rusty Bolt | Sonic Screwdriver | Rocket Booster | Right Tilted Antenna | Fiber Optics | Oil Splash |
| Rotor Rita | Plasma Cutter | Solar Panel | Left Tilted Antenna | Fiber Optics | Water Spray |
| Volt Victor | Hydraulic Gripper | Grappling Hook | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Hedy Lamarr | Plasma Cutter | Micro Shield | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Oil Splash |
| Widget Wanda | Electric Drill | Rocket Booster | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Cable Cora | Plasma Cutter | Radar Dish | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Gimbal Guy | Sonic Screwdriver | Grappling Hook | Left Tilted Antenna | Fiber Optics | Water Spray |
| Matrix Maya | Sonic Screwdriver | Solar Panel | Right Tilted Antenna | Fiber Optics | Water Spray |
| Isaac Asimov | Hydraulic Gripper | Solar Panel | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Water Spray |
| Grace Hopper | Laser Welder | Solar Panel | Left Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Circuit Clara | Laser Welder | Grappling Hook | Left Tilted Antenna | Copper Cables | Oil Splash |
| Ada Lovelace | Laser Welder | Grappling Hook | Right Tilted Antenna | Copper Cables | Magnet Wipe |
| Gearhead Gabe | Laser Welder | Micro Shield | Right Tilted Antenna | Copper Cables | Water Spray |
| Chip Charlie | Plasma Cutter | Solar Panel | Left Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Water Spray |
| Bolt Benny | Laser Welder | Grappling Hook | Left Tilted Antenna | Fiber Optics | Water Spray |
| Sprocket Sam | Laser Welder | Micro Shield | Left Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Water Spray |
| Alan Turing | Sonic Screwdriver | Radar Dish | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Relay Rose | Plasma Cutter | Grappling Hook | Right Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Magnet Wipe |
| Piston Pete | Sonic Screwdriver | Solar Panel | Right Tilted Antenna | Copper Cables | Water Spray |
| Dynamo Dave | Plasma Cutter | Grappling Hook | Left Tilted Antenna | Silver Braids | Water Spray |
Place value
The digital serial board displayed a scrambled place value code.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Addition
We tallied up the total battery cells left in the storage room.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Subtraction
Subtracting the damaged gears from inventory revealed a secret log.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Fractions of a number
A fraction of the charging stations were still active near the lab.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Dividing the spare bolts equally among bins unlocked the final system file.
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!
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Great Robo-Factory Glitch
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE SABOTEUR LACKS A ROCKET BOOSTER"What is the value of the 7 in 91,744? = 700 (T) · What is the value of the 5 in 47,754? = 50 (H) · What is the value of the 9 in 35,966? = 900 (E) · What is the value of the 3 in 15,381? = 300 (A) · What is the value of the 3 in 973,465? = 3000 (O) · What is the value of the 5 in 483,574? = 500 (L) · What is the value of the 8 in 712,680? = 80 (R) · What is the value of the 2 in 692,575? = 2000 (K) · What is the value of the 6 in 88,608? = 600 (U) · What is the value of the 2 in 153,723? = 20 (C) · What is the value of the 7 in 27,482? = 7000 (B) · What is the value of the 6 in 56,558? = 6000 (S)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "WITNESS SAW AN ANTENNA TILTED TO THE RIGHT"2537 + 2295 = 4832 (W) · 3525 + 3245 = 6770 (L) · 1485 + 986 = 2471 (E) · 1167 + 1636 = 2803 (N) · 2103 + 4158 = 6261 (H) · 3106 + 1340 = 4446 (I) · 2628 + 3041 = 5669 (A) · 2900 + 4551 = 7451 (O) · 4335 + 2205 = 6540 (T) · 1657 + 924 = 2581 (S) · 2835 + 2740 = 5575 (R) · 3513 + 1973 = 5486 (D) · 3996 + 3570 = 7566 (G)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "DEFENDER USED A MAGNET WIPE TO ESCAPE"5496 - 97 = 5399 (D) · 6406 - 6 = 6400 (T) · 7790 - 1840 = 5950 (M) · 4642 - 1450 = 3192 (S) · 5742 - 4327 = 1415 (A) · 8189 - 4319 = 3870 (G) · 5141 - 3612 = 1529 (I) · 4301 - 2242 = 2059 (W) · 10146 - 1442 = 8704 (F) · 8555 - 1269 = 7286 (P) · 6213 - 4235 = 1978 (O) · 8910 - 3856 = 5054 (U) · 10592 - 2770 = 7822 (E) · 6703 - 414 = 6289 (R) · 3733 - 994 = 2739 (N) · 9978 - 4514 = 5464 (C)
- Clue 4 (Fractions of a number): "SCENE HAD STRANDS OF SILVER BRAIDS"1/6 of 78 = 13 (S) · 4/8 of 46 = 23 (H) · 5/10 of 78 = 39 (F) · 5/10 of 38 = 19 (A) · 3/8 of 32 = 12 (O) · 4/5 of 35 = 28 (N) · 1/3 of 33 = 11 (D) · 5/10 of 62 = 31 (V) · 5/10 of 14 = 7 (L) · 4/8 of 34 = 17 (E) · 1/3 of 102 = 34 (I) · 4/10 of 100 = 40 (B) · 4/8 of 42 = 21 (R) · 2/10 of 165 = 33 (C) · 3/10 of 20 = 6 (T)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Cable Cora36 ÷ 12 = 3 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 99 ÷ 9 = 11 · 4 ÷ 1 = 4 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12 · 9 ÷ 9 = 1 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10 · 48 ÷ 6 = 8 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Addition, Subtraction, Fractions of a number, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Great Robo-Factory Glitch — set in Gear City Bot Works
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects
