🚀 Space, Dinosaurs, PiratesGrade 10Reading: grades 7-9Pythagorean theoremSquare rootsExponentsOrder of operations

The Nebula Raptor Raid

An unknown cosmic raider boarded the Starship Fossil Finder, breached the vault, and snatched the glowing spinosaurus fossil core. Match the tactical clues to identify the suspect.

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 Weapon	Dino Companion	Dominant Hand	Helmet Type	Defense Counter
Cadet Cora	Astro Cannon	Pterodactyl Flyer	Right Handed	Solar Visor	Stun Flare
Commander Trex	Plasma Saber	Raptor Drone	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Captain Nova	Laser Cutlass	T-Rex Mech	Right Handed	Cyber Bandana	EMP Pulse
Raptor Rick	Astro Cannon	Raptor Drone	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Pirate Peg	Plasma Saber	Stego Shield	Right Handed	Neon Crest	EMP Pulse
Rex Rogue	Laser Cutlass	Raptor Drone	Right Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Star Skylar	Plasma Saber	Stego Shield	Left Handed	Neon Crest	Sonic Boom
Cadet Cleo	Astro Cannon	Tricera Tank	Right Handed	Neon Crest	Sonic Boom
Corsair Kai	Astro Cannon	Pterodactyl Flyer	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	EMP Pulse
Pirate Penny	Plasma Saber	Pterodactyl Flyer	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Astro Ann	Gravity Net	Raptor Drone	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Space Bart	Gravity Net	T-Rex Mech	Left Handed	Neon Crest	Sonic Boom
Astro Rex	Cyber Hook	T-Rex Mech	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Drake Vance	Cyber Hook	Stego Shield	Right Handed	Neon Crest	Stun Flare
Comet Cal	Gravity Net	Pterodactyl Flyer	Right Handed	Neon Crest	EMP Pulse
Pirate Pete	Gravity Net	Tricera Tank	Right Handed	Cyber Bandana	Sonic Boom
Officer Jax	Cyber Hook	T-Rex Mech	Left Handed	Cyber Bandana	Stun Flare
Captain Blackbeard	Astro Cannon	T-Rex Mech	Left Handed	Neon Crest	Sonic Boom
Captain Flint	Laser Cutlass	Tricera Tank	Right Handed	Neon Crest	Stun Flare
Star Lord Vance	Laser Cutlass	Tricera Tank	Right Handed	Cyber Bandana	EMP Pulse
Corsair Cruz	Gravity Net	Pterodactyl Flyer	Left Handed	Neon Crest	EMP Pulse

Clue 1

Pythagorean theorem

Scanning the shortcut distance across the triangular starship hall revealed a hidden 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.

123

116

111

123

125

116

111

100

116

legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse =T

legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse =E

legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =N

legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse =S

legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse =I

legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse =R

legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =C

legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse =A

legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse =O

legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse =L

legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse =H

legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse =D

legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse =V

legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse =F

legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse =Y

legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse =P

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Square roots

Calculating the side length of the square vault room exposed the intruder footstep 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.

sqrt(196) =T

sqrt(9) =H

sqrt(121) =N

sqrt(169) =S

sqrt(441) =F

sqrt(144) =D

sqrt(225) =R

sqrt(36) =I

sqrt(289) =L

sqrt(576) =E

sqrt(16) =K

sqrt(256) =A

sqrt(400) =C

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Exponents

Measuring the exponential power surges in the hyperdrive unlocked a vital memory 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.

256

100

225

125

256

196

256

243

125

256

125

289

225

243

484

225

3^3 =T

10^2 =L

5^2 =S

15^2 =O

6^2 =P

2^5 =W

2^3 =H

16^2 =E

14^2 =F

9^2 =M

3^5 =N

22^2 =B

5^3 =D

3^2 =I

17^2 =A

2^6 =C

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

Solving the multi step security override sequence cleared the corrupted sensor data.

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

110

114

115

114

105

114

110

114

3 + 3 × 2 =A

10 × 3 - 3 =B

5 × 11 - 6 =S

6 × 9 - 8 =E

74 + 9 × 4 =T

12 × 10 - 6 =N

9 + 2 × 2 =D

12 × 12 - 29 =Y

18 + 6 × 3 =R

33 + 9 × 6 =U

91 + 2 × 7 =W

7 × 4 - 8 =F

42 + 6 × 6 =O

7 × 12 - 28 =C

0/14 letters found

Clue 5

Square roots — the last clue

Finding the root dimensions of the square cargo grid pinpointed the escape route.

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

sqrt(16) = ?

sqrt(81) = ?

sqrt(36) = ?

sqrt(144) = ?

sqrt(100) = ?

sqrt(1) = ?

sqrt(9) = ?

sqrt(25) = ?

sqrt(4) = ?

sqrt(64) = ?

sqrt(49) = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain fired the laser cutlass at the vault, then activated the stego shield against guards.

2.The villain hooked the fossil pod with the cyber hook, then launched the pterodactyl flyer as a decoy.

3.The villain blasted the gravity net around the safe, then launched the pterodactyl flyer as a decoy.

4.The villain hooked the fossil pod with the cyber hook, then deployed the raptor drone to guard the door.

5.The villain slashed through the starboard bulkhead, then deployed the raptor drone to guard the door.

6.The villain hacked the astro cannon control panel, then deployed the raptor drone to guard the door.

7.The villain fired the laser cutlass at the vault, then launched the pterodactyl flyer as a decoy.

8.The villain blasted the gravity net around the safe, then piloted the t-rex mech into the corridor.

9.The villain fired the laser cutlass at the vault, then deployed the raptor drone to guard the door.

10.The villain hacked the astro cannon control panel, then activated the stego shield against guards.

11.The villain slashed through the starboard bulkhead, then piloted the t-rex mech into the corridor.

12.The villain hacked the astro cannon control panel, then drove the tricera tank through the airlock.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Nebula Raptor Raid

Culprit: Astro Rex (Cyber Hook · T-Rex Mech · Left Handed · Cyber Bandana · Sonic Boom)

Clue 1 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE RAIDERS DO NOT HAVE A PTERODACTYL FLYER"
legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse = 13 (T) · legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse = 116 (E) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (N) · legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse = 37 (S) · legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse = 51 (I) · legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse = 41 (R) · legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (C) · legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse = 65 (A) · legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse = 111 (O) · legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse = 85 (L) · legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse = 123 (H) · legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse = 17 (D) · legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse = 125 (V) · legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse = 5 (F) · legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse = 100 (Y) · legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse = 82 (P)
Clue 2 (Square roots): "THE ATTACKER HELD THE LASER IN LEFT HAND"
sqrt(196) = 14 (T) · sqrt(9) = 3 (H) · sqrt(121) = 11 (N) · sqrt(169) = 13 (S) · sqrt(441) = 21 (F) · sqrt(144) = 12 (D) · sqrt(225) = 15 (R) · sqrt(36) = 6 (I) · sqrt(289) = 17 (L) · sqrt(576) = 24 (E) · sqrt(16) = 4 (K) · sqrt(256) = 16 (A) · sqrt(400) = 20 (C)
Clue 3 (Exponents): "THE PILOT DEFENDED WITH A SONIC BOOM"
3^3 = 27 (T) · 10^2 = 100 (L) · 5^2 = 25 (S) · 15^2 = 225 (O) · 6^2 = 36 (P) · 2^5 = 32 (W) · 2^3 = 8 (H) · 16^2 = 256 (E) · 14^2 = 196 (F) · 9^2 = 81 (M) · 3^5 = 243 (N) · 22^2 = 484 (B) · 5^3 = 125 (D) · 3^2 = 9 (I) · 17^2 = 289 (A) · 2^6 = 64 (C)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "A TORN CYBER BANDANA WAS FOUND AT SCENE"
3 + 3 × 2 = 9 (A) · 10 × 3 - 3 = 27 (B) · 5 × 11 - 6 = 49 (S) · 6 × 9 - 8 = 46 (E) · 74 + 9 × 4 = 110 (T) · 12 × 10 - 6 = 114 (N) · 9 + 2 × 2 = 13 (D) · 12 × 12 - 29 = 115 (Y) · 18 + 6 × 3 = 36 (R) · 33 + 9 × 6 = 87 (U) · 91 + 2 × 7 = 105 (W) · 7 × 4 - 8 = 20 (F) · 42 + 6 × 6 = 78 (O) · 7 × 12 - 28 = 56 (C)
Clue 5 (Square roots): surviving statement (box 11) → Astro Rex
sqrt(16) = 4 · sqrt(81) = 9 · sqrt(36) = 6 · sqrt(144) = 12 · sqrt(100) = 10 · sqrt(1) = 1 · sqrt(9) = 3 · sqrt(25) = 5 · sqrt(4) = 2 · sqrt(64) = 8 · sqrt(49) = 7

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 10 math
Math topics: Pythagorean theorem, Square roots, Exponents, Order of operations
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Nebula Raptor Raid — set in The Starship Fossil Finder in Sector Cretaceous
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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