🔎 The joshua oil companyGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6SubtractionAdditionPlace valueFractions of a number
The Joshua Oil Caper
A sneaky saboteur has tampered with the main valves at the Joshua Oil Company desert headquarters, leaking harmless blue dye into the test pipes! We must find the culprit before the grand inspection.
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 | Sabotage Tool | Escape Vehicle | Safety Goggles Type | Hard Hat Color | Favorite Snack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga Oil | electronic bypass device | electric quad bike | clear goggles | neon orange hat | licorice ropes |
| Rusty Pipe | pneumatic pressure drill | stealth dirt bike | clear goggles | neon orange hat | salted peanuts |
| Gemma Stone | magnetic valve wrench | electric quad bike | tinted goggles | bright yellow hat | licorice ropes |
| Geologist George | pneumatic pressure drill | armored pickup truck | tinted goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
| Slick Sammy | heavy bolt cutters | desert dune buggy | tinted goggles | classic white hat | cinnamon mints |
| Crude Carl | laser pipe cutter | armored pickup truck | clear goggles | classic white hat | cinnamon mints |
| Gus Gushington | magnetic valve wrench | electric quad bike | clear goggles | bright yellow hat | cinnamon mints |
| Valerie Valve | heavy bolt cutters | desert dune buggy | tinted goggles | classic white hat | salted peanuts |
| Pressure Paul | electronic bypass device | hover drone flyer | clear goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
| Joshua Miller | heavy bolt cutters | electric quad bike | clear goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
| Sandy Dunes | magnetic valve wrench | hover drone flyer | tinted goggles | neon orange hat | salted peanuts |
| Sally Shale | laser pipe cutter | armored pickup truck | clear goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
| Drill Specialist Dan | heavy bolt cutters | electric quad bike | clear goggles | classic white hat | salted peanuts |
| Tanker Tom | magnetic valve wrench | armored pickup truck | clear goggles | classic white hat | licorice ropes |
| Derrick Diggs | pneumatic pressure drill | armored pickup truck | tinted goggles | classic white hat | salted peanuts |
| Chief Petro | heavy bolt cutters | stealth dirt bike | tinted goggles | classic white hat | salted peanuts |
| Rig Operator Ron | heavy bolt cutters | stealth dirt bike | clear goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
| Hap Hazard | pneumatic pressure drill | stealth dirt bike | clear goggles | classic white hat | cinnamon mints |
| Piper Line | heavy bolt cutters | armored pickup truck | clear goggles | neon orange hat | licorice ropes |
| Gage Watson | heavy bolt cutters | hover drone flyer | clear goggles | classic white hat | cinnamon mints |
| Elena Petrova | laser pipe cutter | desert dune buggy | clear goggles | neon orange hat | cinnamon mints |
Clue 1
Subtraction
A security guard counted the barrels of drilling fluid before and after the alarm went off. Let us subtract the missing barrels to reveal our 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
7028
8223
6237
T
7028
8223
6260
6237
7089
5056
6260
5056
7189
6741
T
7028
6237
8923
4741
2448
2490
6237
6741
7189
2448
8223
6741
8918
6237
7821
5056
7821
6741
7189
6237
7248 - 220 =T
5427 - 2937 =P
10422 - 1504 =V
11312 - 4223 =F
9729 - 1908 =R
9780 - 3543 =E
6715 - 1974 =C
5246 - 190 =D
8087 - 898 =N
6074 - 3626 =A
11095 - 2172 =S
7766 - 1025 =O
10707 - 2484 =H
11007 - 4747 =I
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
To find where the suspect fled, we need to add up the lengths of the newly installed steel pipeline segments.
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
9867
6228
5397
2731
9701
2731
6724
5397
3833
T
9867
9487
4639
7201
5397
3833
9742
5397
5763
7201
2731
5763
5243
5397
T
9867
8218
6107
4639
6107
6107
9742
5397
2731
4094 + 5773 =T
2478 + 2765 =F
3733 + 2991 =P
2944 + 4257 =R
4607 + 5094 =U
1225 + 1506 =S
2877 + 2520 =E
2206 + 1627 =C
3001 + 2762 =A
4337 + 1891 =H
4841 + 4646 =W
5406 + 4336 =L
1607 + 3032 =O
3104 + 5114 =Y
2604 + 3503 =G
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Place value
A digital lock on the valve control panel has a blinking screen. We must read the digit in the tens place of the code to unlock the third 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
900
7000
4000
8000
500
4000
400
4000
8000
40
4000
5000
5000
4000
60
5000
2000
300
4000
500
2000
400
400
600
40
200
400
40
2000
400
T
900
8000
What is the value of the 9 in 40,943?T
What is the value of the 3 in 92,314?K
What is the value of the 7 in 47,019?H
What is the value of the 5 in 15,163?L
What is the value of the 5 in 207,506?C
What is the value of the 4 in 24,907?E
What is the value of the 6 in 18,699?A
What is the value of the 8 in 48,900?S
What is the value of the 4 in 833,541?M
What is the value of the 6 in 48,962?D
What is the value of the 4 in 923,418?N
What is the value of the 2 in 92,198?I
What is the value of the 2 in 63,276?O
0/13 letters found
Clue 4
Fractions of a number
The geology lab is testing a batch of soil samples. Find the fraction of samples containing quartz to pinpoint the fourth 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
22
14
32
35
6
28
32
31
6
39
25
29
T
22
T
22
32
10
6
26
32
29
26
29
31
6
26
15
32
14
6
31
10
14
6
T
22
1/4 of 88 =T
2/3 of 48 =E
1/6 of 150 =P
1/3 of 42 =H
2/10 of 50 =D
2/6 of 18 =A
2/4 of 62 =R
1/5 of 145 =O
6/10 of 25 =G
1/5 of 130 =N
3/10 of 130 =S
2/4 of 56 =M
2/8 of 140 =C
0/13 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The inspection team has a large pack of safety lights. Calculating a fraction of the total lights reveals our 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
4/5 of 10 = ?
1/4 of 44 = ?
1/6 of 24 = ?
7/10 of 10 = ?
1/6 of 30 = ?
2/10 of 10 = ?
2/3 of 15 = ?
2/8 of 24 = ?
2/10 of 15 = ?
6/10 of 15 = ?
6/10 of 20 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain loosened the safety valves on rig nine, then sped away across the dusty sand dunes.
2.The villain loosened the safety valves on rig nine, then slipped past the night guard post.
3.The villain redirected the pressure gauges, then sped away across the dusty sand dunes.
4.The villain loosened the safety valves on rig nine, then left a trail of blue dye behind.
5.The villain redirected the pressure gauges, then hid the stolen schematics in a pipe.
6.The villain redirected the pressure gauges, then slipped past the night guard post.
7.The villain unlocked the secure storage shed, then left a trail of blue dye behind.
8.The villain disabled the main pipeline alarm, then hid the stolen schematics in a pipe.
9.The villain scrambled the geological data files, then hid the stolen schematics in a pipe.
10.The villain scrambled the geological data files, then erased the security footage.
11.The villain disabled the main pipeline alarm, then slipped past the night guard post.
12.The villain redirected the pressure gauges, then left a trail of blue dye behind.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Joshua Oil Caper
Culprit: Elena Petrova (laser pipe cutter · desert dune buggy · clear goggles · neon orange hat · cinnamon mints)
- Clue 1 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF DID NOT ESCAPE ON A HOVER DRONE"7248 - 220 = 7028 (T) · 5427 - 2937 = 2490 (P) · 10422 - 1504 = 8918 (V) · 11312 - 4223 = 7089 (F) · 9729 - 1908 = 7821 (R) · 9780 - 3543 = 6237 (E) · 6715 - 1974 = 4741 (C) · 5246 - 190 = 5056 (D) · 8087 - 898 = 7189 (N) · 6074 - 3626 = 2448 (A) · 11095 - 2172 = 8923 (S) · 7766 - 1025 = 6741 (O) · 10707 - 2484 = 8223 (H) · 11007 - 4747 = 6260 (I)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "THE SUSPECT WORE CLEAR SAFETY GOGGLES"4094 + 5773 = 9867 (T) · 2478 + 2765 = 5243 (F) · 3733 + 2991 = 6724 (P) · 2944 + 4257 = 7201 (R) · 4607 + 5094 = 9701 (U) · 1225 + 1506 = 2731 (S) · 2877 + 2520 = 5397 (E) · 2206 + 1627 = 3833 (C) · 3001 + 2762 = 5763 (A) · 4337 + 1891 = 6228 (H) · 4841 + 4646 = 9487 (W) · 5406 + 4336 = 9742 (L) · 1607 + 3032 = 4639 (O) · 3104 + 5114 = 8218 (Y) · 2604 + 3503 = 6107 (G)
- Clue 3 (Place value): "THE SCENE SMELLED LIKE CINNAMON MINTS"What is the value of the 9 in 40,943? = 900 (T) · What is the value of the 3 in 92,314? = 300 (K) · What is the value of the 7 in 47,019? = 7000 (H) · What is the value of the 5 in 15,163? = 5000 (L) · What is the value of the 5 in 207,506? = 500 (C) · What is the value of the 4 in 24,907? = 4000 (E) · What is the value of the 6 in 18,699? = 600 (A) · What is the value of the 8 in 48,900? = 8000 (S) · What is the value of the 4 in 833,541? = 40 (M) · What is the value of the 6 in 48,962? = 60 (D) · What is the value of the 4 in 923,418? = 400 (N) · What is the value of the 2 in 92,198? = 2000 (I) · What is the value of the 2 in 63,276? = 200 (O)
- Clue 4 (Fractions of a number): "THE CAMERA SPOTTED A NEON ORANGE HARD HAT"1/4 of 88 = 22 (T) · 2/3 of 48 = 32 (E) · 1/6 of 150 = 25 (P) · 1/3 of 42 = 14 (H) · 2/10 of 50 = 10 (D) · 2/6 of 18 = 6 (A) · 2/4 of 62 = 31 (R) · 1/5 of 145 = 29 (O) · 6/10 of 25 = 15 (G) · 1/5 of 130 = 26 (N) · 3/10 of 130 = 39 (S) · 2/4 of 56 = 28 (M) · 2/8 of 140 = 35 (C)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 1) → Elena Petrova4/5 of 10 = 8 · 1/4 of 44 = 11 · 1/6 of 24 = 4 · 7/10 of 10 = 7 · 1/6 of 30 = 5 · 2/10 of 10 = 2 · 2/3 of 15 = 10 · 2/8 of 24 = 6 · 2/10 of 15 = 3 · 6/10 of 15 = 9 · 6/10 of 20 = 12
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Subtraction, Addition, Place value, Fractions of a number
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Joshua Oil Caper — set in Joshua Oil Desert Research Facility
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects