🔎 The Lost Colony of RoanokeGrade 4Reading: grades 5-6RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Mystery of Roanoke Island

When Governor John White returned to Roanoke Island, he found the settlement empty, but someone left encoded trail markers behind. Solve the math clues to identify the rogue settler who concealed the colony's missing records.

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	Specialty	Tool	Writing Hand	Cloak Color	Weakness
Hugh Albridge	Foraging	Brass Compass	Right Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
Peter Little	Navigation	Brass Compass	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Smoke Signal
James Hynde	Carpentry	Iron Chisel	Right Handed	Navy Cloak	Smoke Signal
William Willes	Mapmaking	Oak Mallet	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Lantern Light
Thomas Stevens	Metalwork	Oak Mallet	Left Handed	Brown Cloak	Lantern Light
Thomas Toplis	Navigation	Leather Journal	Right Handed	Navy Cloak	Loud Bell
John Coleman	Mapmaking	Leather Journal	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Smoke Signal
Cuthbert Sutton	Mapmaking	Leather Journal	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
John Prat	Foraging	Brass Compass	Left Handed	Brown Cloak	Lantern Light
Arthur Glance	Mapmaking	Brass Compass	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
Simon Fernandes	Carpentry	Iron Chisel	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
Richard Berry	Foraging	Leather Journal	Right Handed	Navy Cloak	Loud Bell
Virginia Dare	Mapmaking	Silver Whistle	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Smoke Signal
Ananias Dare	Navigation	Brass Compass	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
Wanchese	Foraging	Oak Mallet	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Loud Bell
Clement Taylor	Mapmaking	Silver Whistle	Right Handed	Navy Cloak	Lantern Light
Roger Prat	Carpentry	Silver Whistle	Left Handed	Navy Cloak	Lantern Light
Eleanor Dare	Carpentry	Silver Whistle	Left Handed	Grey Cloak	Smoke Signal
Nicholas Johnson	Mapmaking	Oak Mallet	Left Handed	Navy Cloak	Loud Bell
Martin Sutton	Navigation	Leather Journal	Left Handed	Brown Cloak	Smoke Signal
John White	Metalwork	Iron Chisel	Left Handed	Brown Cloak	Loud Bell

Clue 1

Rounding

Governor White checked the lookout logs, but the distance readings were rounded to the nearest ten miles on the map chart.

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

700

2900

170

500

3700

700

2900

1300

4300

230

700

1300

170

2900

500

110

2900

500

700

2900

130

1300

230

500

110

Round 727 to the nearest hundredT

Round 94 to the nearest tenR

Round 2,916 to the nearest hundredE

Round 4,304 to the nearest hundredI

Round 525 to the nearest hundredA

Round 132 to the nearest tenJ

Round 66 to the nearest tenH

Round 231 to the nearest tenN

Round 172 to the nearest tenS

Round 24 to the nearest tenO

Round 1,293 to the nearest hundredU

Round 112 to the nearest tenL

Round 50 to the nearest tenD

Round 3,673 to the nearest hundredB

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

The search party gathered all recovered pine tar barrels and combined their totals to inspect the supply count.

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

4032

4111

4791

5264

7456

4667

4032

8600

6253

4791

6253

9409

7044

7752

8600

7456

8314

4032

9228

4111

4791

5264

7456

9552

8600

7456

4667

4791

9409

9552

9228

7456

1632 + 2400 =A

6227 + 3182 =P

3763 + 3693 =T

3007 + 4745 =I

2671 + 2593 =F

4032 + 3012 =R

2914 + 1753 =H

4624 + 3690 =W

3745 + 5483 =S

6074 + 3478 =O

2430 + 1681 =L

1643 + 3148 =E

5092 + 3508 =N

3803 + 2450 =D

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

A ledger showed how many iron nails were crafted versus how many were stolen from the workshop chest.

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

5232

7479

7886

3019

6358

5354

1448

6358

3397

5089

1448

3397

8257

5232

5841

5232

1448

3397

4968

1448

5354

8257

8979

4968

5462

7886

5354

9186 - 3954 =T

7228 - 2260 =D

7506 - 2044 =B

1620 - 172 =A

13008 - 4751 =O

12299 - 4413 =E

7200 - 3803 =N

8180 - 2339 =S

10340 - 3982 =I

5844 - 2825 =V

12872 - 3893 =U

9756 - 4402 =L

8059 - 580 =H

6179 - 1090 =C

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The guard commander measured five rows of palisade posts, each containing an equal number of cedar logs.

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

108

110

108

144

108

7 × 6 =F

2 × 11 =U

9 × 10 =M

7 × 7 =I

9 × 9 =A

8 × 7 =K

10 × 11 =G

12 × 12 =L

12 × 9 =E

6 × 5 =R

2 × 12 =S

4 × 8 =D

11 × 7 =Y

2 × 10 =W

2 × 7 =H

4 × 10 =C

5 × 3 =B

11 × 3 =N

7 × 3 =O

11 × 4 =T

0/20 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

The remaining rations of dried fish were split evenly among the scouting teams to calculate individual shares.

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

54 ÷ 9 = ?

8 ÷ 2 = ?

11 ÷ 11 = ?

45 ÷ 9 = ?

18 ÷ 6 = ?

96 ÷ 8 = ?

45 ÷ 5 = ?

24 ÷ 12 = ?

80 ÷ 8 = ?

40 ÷ 5 = ?

110 ÷ 10 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain built wooden barricades, then swung the iron chisel.

2.The villain steered supply boats, then blew the silver whistle.

3.The villain steered supply boats, then tapped the oak mallet.

4.The villain searched pine forests, then tapped the oak mallet.

5.The villain forged iron nails, then blew the silver whistle.

6.The villain mapped secret trails, then checked the brass compass.

7.The villain steered supply boats, then checked the brass compass.

8.The villain steered supply boats, then wrote in the journal.

9.The villain mapped secret trails, then swung the iron chisel.

10.The villain searched pine forests, then wrote in the journal.

11.The villain searched pine forests, then swung the iron chisel.

12.The villain built wooden barricades, then wrote in the journal.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Mystery of Roanoke Island

Culprit: Ananias Dare (Navigation · Brass Compass · Left Handed · Grey Cloak · Loud Bell)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE SABOTEUR DID NOT USE A LEATHER JOURNAL"
Round 727 to the nearest hundred = 700 (T) · Round 94 to the nearest ten = 90 (R) · Round 2,916 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (E) · Round 4,304 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (I) · Round 525 to the nearest hundred = 500 (A) · Round 132 to the nearest ten = 130 (J) · Round 66 to the nearest ten = 70 (H) · Round 231 to the nearest ten = 230 (N) · Round 172 to the nearest ten = 170 (S) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (O) · Round 1,293 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (U) · Round 112 to the nearest ten = 110 (L) · Round 50 to the nearest ten = 50 (D) · Round 3,673 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (B)
Clue 2 (Addition): "A LEFT HANDED PRINT WAS LEFT ON THE POST"
1632 + 2400 = 4032 (A) · 6227 + 3182 = 9409 (P) · 3763 + 3693 = 7456 (T) · 3007 + 4745 = 7752 (I) · 2671 + 2593 = 5264 (F) · 4032 + 3012 = 7044 (R) · 2914 + 1753 = 4667 (H) · 4624 + 3690 = 8314 (W) · 3745 + 5483 = 9228 (S) · 6074 + 3478 = 9552 (O) · 2430 + 1681 = 4111 (L) · 1643 + 3148 = 4791 (E) · 5092 + 3508 = 8600 (N) · 3803 + 2450 = 6253 (D)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT STAND A LOUD BELL"
9186 - 3954 = 5232 (T) · 7228 - 2260 = 4968 (D) · 7506 - 2044 = 5462 (B) · 1620 - 172 = 1448 (A) · 13008 - 4751 = 8257 (O) · 12299 - 4413 = 7886 (E) · 7200 - 3803 = 3397 (N) · 8180 - 2339 = 5841 (S) · 10340 - 3982 = 6358 (I) · 5844 - 2825 = 3019 (V) · 12872 - 3893 = 8979 (U) · 9756 - 4402 = 5354 (L) · 8059 - 580 = 7479 (H) · 6179 - 1090 = 5089 (C)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "FIBERS FROM A GREY CLOAK WERE FOUND ON THE TREE"
7 × 6 = 42 (F) · 2 × 11 = 22 (U) · 9 × 10 = 90 (M) · 7 × 7 = 49 (I) · 9 × 9 = 81 (A) · 8 × 7 = 56 (K) · 10 × 11 = 110 (G) · 12 × 12 = 144 (L) · 12 × 9 = 108 (E) · 6 × 5 = 30 (R) · 2 × 12 = 24 (S) · 4 × 8 = 32 (D) · 11 × 7 = 77 (Y) · 2 × 10 = 20 (W) · 2 × 7 = 14 (H) · 4 × 10 = 40 (C) · 5 × 3 = 15 (B) · 11 × 3 = 33 (N) · 7 × 3 = 21 (O) · 11 × 4 = 44 (T)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Ananias Dare
54 ÷ 9 = 6 · 8 ÷ 2 = 4 · 11 ÷ 11 = 1 · 45 ÷ 9 = 5 · 18 ÷ 6 = 3 · 96 ÷ 8 = 12 · 45 ÷ 5 = 9 · 24 ÷ 12 = 2 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 4 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Mystery of Roanoke Island — set in Roanoke Island Settlement, 1587
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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