🚀 Space, RobotsGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationRoundingDivision
The Mystery of the Malfunctioning Mech
A strange malfunction caused a maintenance bot on Starlight Station Nine to go rogue and lock down the main lab. Help the space crew decode clues to identify which rogue bot caused the chaos!
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 | Primary Tool | Subsystem Gadget | Sensor Status | Antenna Type | Core Override |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vera Rubin | Arc Torch | Hologram Projector | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Arthur Clarke | Laser Welder | Tractor Beam | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Rosalind Franklin | Laser Welder | Hologram Projector | Left Blinking Sensor | Copper Coil | Code Reset Button |
| Neil Armstrong | Plasma Cutter | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Copper Coil | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Jocelyn Bell | Sonic Drill | Thermal Shield | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Hedy Lamarr | Sonic Drill | Hologram Projector | Left Blinking Sensor | Steel Wire | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Margaret Hamilton | Laser Welder | Hologram Projector | Left Blinking Sensor | Copper Coil | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Buzz Aldrin | Magnet Beam | EMP Cannon | Right Blinking Sensor | Steel Wire | Code Reset Button |
| Annie Jump Cannon | Magnet Beam | Tractor Beam | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Mae Jemison | Sonic Drill | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Steel Wire | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Sally Ride | Laser Welder | Rocket Thrusters | Right Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar | Magnet Beam | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Alan Turing | Laser Welder | Hologram Projector | Right Blinking Sensor | Steel Wire | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Ada Lovelace | Laser Welder | EMP Cannon | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Nikola Tesla | Sonic Drill | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Isaac Newton | Magnet Beam | EMP Cannon | Left Blinking Sensor | Copper Coil | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Galileo Galilei | Arc Torch | Hologram Projector | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Yuri Gagarin | Arc Torch | EMP Cannon | Right Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Chien-Shiung Wu | Plasma Cutter | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
| Stephen Hawking | Sonic Drill | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Copper Coil | Solar Disconnect Switch |
| Grace Hopper | Laser Welder | Rocket Thrusters | Left Blinking Sensor | Silver Dish | Circuit Breaker Lever |
Clue 1
Addition
To count total solar panels damaged in sector four, the station crew tallied up the wreckage reports.
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
4128
5172
4859
9144
3398
7077
8083
4859
8548
3398
T
4128
7440
3424
7440
7994
3398
T
4128
8083
4978
4859
9574
5172
3398
4905
3398
7077
9144
9574
2707
3874
9144
3398
8571
4859
6870
T
4128
3398
9144
1640 + 2488 =T
5409 + 2674 =U
4135 + 3305 =D
4169 + 2701 =C
5376 + 2618 =N
3727 + 5847 =A
4677 + 3871 =B
1620 + 2254 =P
3311 + 1667 =S
1235 + 2163 =O
2039 + 2866 =L
1202 + 2222 =I
6121 + 3023 =R
1037 + 1670 =M
3107 + 3970 =G
1913 + 3259 =H
4683 + 3888 =J
1536 + 3323 =E
0/18 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
Engineers checked remaining oxygen tanks by subtracting used supplies from the main reserve balance.
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
7333
6395
2153
4436
1440
4436
6885
2153
2248
T
7333
6395
7756
4436
7756
7050
2153
6213
T
7333
5149
7050
8622
7145
1831
8622
7145
2655
4436
2153
7145
4436
4670
8608
12126 - 4793 =T
9192 - 2797 =H
8703 - 947 =A
9141 - 2928 =F
5980 - 3325 =G
9091 - 4421 =O
11290 - 4145 =N
6965 - 1816 =B
1965 - 525 =U
3622 - 1374 =C
8533 - 1483 =L
4629 - 193 =S
11611 - 4726 =P
9224 - 616 =R
11382 - 2760 =I
3144 - 991 =E
3517 - 1686 =K
0/17 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The computer logged rows of cargo containers on the launchpad to calculate total gear stored.
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
9
3
120
22
25
T
9
8
88
81
81
T
9
25
45
45
120
50
22
7
88
42
10
90
42
11
10
T
9
22
90
120
88
77
120
90
9 × 1 =T
11 × 2 =B
10 × 12 =E
1 × 3 =H
7 × 6 =C
1 × 10 =I
5 × 10 =D
7 × 11 =K
11 × 1 =U
9 × 5 =P
5 × 5 =O
9 × 9 =S
11 × 8 =A
1 × 7 =Y
2 × 4 =W
10 × 9 =R
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Rounding
The station radar dish estimated distant shuttle speeds, showing values rounded to the nearest ten.
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
900
170
3700
9000
110
230
2000
4300
3700
170
90
5000
A
900
170
9000
230
1100
700
A
900
700
700
90
230
170
2300
230
430
230
Round 926 to the nearest hundredA
Round 87 to the nearest tenH
Round 433 to the nearest tenN
Round 2,021 to the nearest thousandR
Round 168 to the nearest tenS
Round 656 to the nearest hundredT
Round 1,091 to the nearest hundredF
Round 229 to the nearest tenE
Round 2,321 to the nearest hundredC
Round 5,299 to the nearest thousandW
Round 3,704 to the nearest hundredI
Round 8,910 to the nearest thousandL
Round 4,300 to the nearest hundredD
Round 113 to the nearest tenV
0/14 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Technicians divided spare battery packs equally among the emergency maintenance 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
60 ÷ 6 = ?
66 ÷ 11 = ?
24 ÷ 2 = ?
14 ÷ 2 = ?
36 ÷ 4 = ?
11 ÷ 11 = ?
24 ÷ 6 = ?
22 ÷ 11 = ?
27 ÷ 9 = ?
64 ÷ 8 = ?
30 ÷ 6 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain melt copper wires with an arc torch, then confuse security guards using a hologram projector.
2.The villain slice through titanium doors with a plasma cutter, then pull space debris closer with a tractor beam.
3.The villain lift heavy cargo crates using a magnet beam, then block cosmic rays with a thermal shield.
4.The villain melt copper wires with an arc torch, then block cosmic rays with a thermal shield.
5.The villain bore tunnels through moon rock with a sonic drill, then pull space debris closer with a tractor beam.
6.The villain lift heavy cargo crates using a magnet beam, then pull space debris closer with a tractor beam.
7.The villain seal emergency airlocks using a laser welder, then shut down security cameras with an emp cannon.
8.The villain lift heavy cargo crates using a magnet beam, then confuse security guards using a hologram projector.
9.The villain bore tunnels through moon rock with a sonic drill, then escape into orbit using rocket thrusters.
10.The villain seal emergency airlocks using a laser welder, then escape into orbit using rocket thrusters.
11.The villain bore tunnels through moon rock with a sonic drill, then block cosmic rays with a thermal shield.
12.The villain slice through titanium doors with a plasma cutter, then escape into orbit using rocket thrusters.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Malfunctioning Mech
Culprit: Jocelyn Bell (Sonic Drill · Thermal Shield · Left Blinking Sensor · Silver Dish · Circuit Breaker Lever)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE ROGUE BOT DID NOT USE A HOLOGRAM PROJECTOR"1640 + 2488 = 4128 (T) · 5409 + 2674 = 8083 (U) · 4135 + 3305 = 7440 (D) · 4169 + 2701 = 6870 (C) · 5376 + 2618 = 7994 (N) · 3727 + 5847 = 9574 (A) · 4677 + 3871 = 8548 (B) · 1620 + 2254 = 3874 (P) · 3311 + 1667 = 4978 (S) · 1235 + 2163 = 3398 (O) · 2039 + 2866 = 4905 (L) · 1202 + 2222 = 3424 (I) · 6121 + 3023 = 9144 (R) · 1037 + 1670 = 2707 (M) · 3107 + 3970 = 7077 (G) · 1913 + 3259 = 5172 (H) · 4683 + 3888 = 8571 (J) · 1536 + 3323 = 4859 (E)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SUSPECT HAS A LEFT BLINKING SENSOR"12126 - 4793 = 7333 (T) · 9192 - 2797 = 6395 (H) · 8703 - 947 = 7756 (A) · 9141 - 2928 = 6213 (F) · 5980 - 3325 = 2655 (G) · 9091 - 4421 = 4670 (O) · 11290 - 4145 = 7145 (N) · 6965 - 1816 = 5149 (B) · 1965 - 525 = 1440 (U) · 3622 - 1374 = 2248 (C) · 8533 - 1483 = 7050 (L) · 4629 - 193 = 4436 (S) · 11611 - 4726 = 6885 (P) · 9224 - 616 = 8608 (R) · 11382 - 2760 = 8622 (I) · 3144 - 991 = 2153 (E) · 3517 - 1686 = 1831 (K)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE BOT WAS STOPPED BY A CIRCUIT BREAKER"9 × 1 = 9 (T) · 11 × 2 = 22 (B) · 10 × 12 = 120 (E) · 1 × 3 = 3 (H) · 7 × 6 = 42 (C) · 1 × 10 = 10 (I) · 5 × 10 = 50 (D) · 7 × 11 = 77 (K) · 11 × 1 = 11 (U) · 9 × 5 = 45 (P) · 5 × 5 = 25 (O) · 9 × 9 = 81 (S) · 11 × 8 = 88 (A) · 1 × 7 = 7 (Y) · 2 × 4 = 8 (W) · 10 × 9 = 90 (R)
- Clue 4 (Rounding): "A SILVER DISH WAS LEFT AT THE SCENE"Round 926 to the nearest hundred = 900 (A) · Round 87 to the nearest ten = 90 (H) · Round 433 to the nearest ten = 430 (N) · Round 2,021 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (R) · Round 168 to the nearest ten = 170 (S) · Round 656 to the nearest hundred = 700 (T) · Round 1,091 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (F) · Round 229 to the nearest ten = 230 (E) · Round 2,321 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (C) · Round 5,299 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (W) · Round 3,704 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (I) · Round 8,910 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (L) · Round 4,300 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (D) · Round 113 to the nearest ten = 110 (V)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 11) → Jocelyn Bell60 ÷ 6 = 10 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12 · 14 ÷ 2 = 7 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 11 ÷ 11 = 1 · 24 ÷ 6 = 4 · 22 ÷ 11 = 2 · 27 ÷ 9 = 3 · 64 ÷ 8 = 8 · 30 ÷ 6 = 5
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Rounding, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Malfunctioning Mech — set in Starlight Station Nine
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects