🚀 Space, MermaidsGrade 10Reading: grades 7-9Pythagorean theoremSquare rootsExponentsOrder of operations
The Oceanus Nebula Mystery
A sabotage alarm rings across the floating liquid corridors of Oceanus Station. An unknown rogue siren bypassed security and disrupted the central hydro reactor. Detective, analyze the physical evidence and match the saboteur to the suspect roster.
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 | Cosmic Ability | Starlight Gear | Glow Pattern | Fin Color | Disruption Resonance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nerida Cosmos | Nebular Blast | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Ceto Parallax | Solar Hydro Jet | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Hyperion Reef | Solar Hydro Jet | Meteor Anchor | Right Fin Pulsing | Deep Void Black | High Pitch Sonar |
| Caspian Drake | Nebular Blast | Comet Shield | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | Magnetic Pulse |
| Halimede Drift | Solar Hydro Jet | Crystal Helm | Left Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | Magnetic Pulse |
| Triton Rigel | Solar Hydro Jet | Flare Jetpack | Left Fin Pulsing | Deep Void Black | Ultraviolet Flash |
| Oceanus Vane | Gravity Whalesong | Crystal Helm | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Tritonis Void | Nebular Blast | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Deep Void Black | Magnetic Pulse |
| Galatea Zenith | Solar Hydro Jet | Plasma Trident | Right Fin Pulsing | Deep Void Black | High Pitch Sonar |
| Callisto Fin | Gravity Whalesong | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Triton Vega | Nebular Blast | Comet Shield | Left Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | High Pitch Sonar |
| Glaucus Ray | Starlight Cloaking | Flare Jetpack | Left Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | High Pitch Sonar |
| Proteus Flare | Starlight Cloaking | Flare Jetpack | Right Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Tiberius Wave | Starlight Cloaking | Plasma Trident | Left Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | Magnetic Pulse |
| Maris Nova | Solar Hydro Jet | Flare Jetpack | Right Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | Magnetic Pulse |
| Nereus Thorne | Starlight Cloaking | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
| Astra Marina | Tidal Telekinesis | Comet Shield | Right Fin Pulsing | Deep Void Black | Magnetic Pulse |
| Delphine Helix | Starlight Cloaking | Meteor Anchor | Left Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | Magnetic Pulse |
| Amphitrite Sol | Tidal Telekinesis | Comet Shield | Right Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | High Pitch Sonar |
| Thalassa Orion | Nebular Blast | Plasma Trident | Left Fin Pulsing | Bioluminescent Cyan | High Pitch Sonar |
| Doris Quasar | Tidal Telekinesis | Comet Shield | Right Fin Pulsing | Nebula Purple | High Pitch Sonar |
Clue 1
Pythagorean theorem
Navigation logs map the villain escape vector across a two dimensional grid using perpendicular coordinates.
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
25
111
34
52
125
85
85
29
125
41
87
65
34
39
41
65
T
25
58
39
34
29
5
40
68
39
T
25
29
85
111
34
85
26
legs 15 and 20, hypotenuse =T
legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse =V
legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse =U
legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =S
legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse =O
legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse =N
legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse =C
legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =E
legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse =D
legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse =M
legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse =L
legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse =I
legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse =R
legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse =Y
legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse =A
legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse =H
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Square roots
The emergency lockdown panel requires calculating the side length of a square hydro containment bay.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
2
20
4
6
23
14
14
14
15
W
2
10
23
19
4
19
20
6
12
7
10
14
20
6
13
15
4
4
24
23
14
5
23
6
23
sqrt(4) =W
sqrt(196) =S
sqrt(361) =F
sqrt(144) =P
sqrt(25) =C
sqrt(49) =U
sqrt(36) =N
sqrt(100) =L
sqrt(225) =A
sqrt(529) =E
sqrt(169) =G
sqrt(400) =I
sqrt(576) =H
sqrt(16) =T
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Exponents
Sensor array readings show energy surging exponentially across the cosmic station power grid.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
H
324
81
243
H
324
100
81
4
64
H
324
32
289
400
25
256
729
256
289
27
225
4
H
324
225
27
81
144
144
25
81
400
125
25
64
128
18^2 =H
15^2 =E
16^2 =R
20^2 =N
2^2 =T
3^3 =V
2^7 =K
17^2 =O
9^2 =I
10^2 =P
4^3 =C
2^5 =S
9^3 =D
5^3 =B
12^2 =L
5^2 =A
3^5 =G
0/17 letters found
Clue 4
Order of operations
Decrypting the security override vault demands evaluating multi step operational equations correctly.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
P
56
24
25
P
56
27
72
66
26
92
29
26
93
93
24
72
108
102
93
66
52
24
92
95
92
72
102
25
29
103
72
27
52
58
82
16 + 5 × 8 =P
11 × 9 - 17 =K
65 + 9 × 3 =N
78 + 3 × 5 =S
12 × 3 - 7 =T
10 × 10 - 28 =E
5 × 11 - 28 =L
81 + 3 × 7 =A
24 + 4 × 7 =O
84 + 8 × 3 =W
10 + 7 × 2 =U
15 + 5 × 2 =R
83 + 4 × 5 =H
10 × 10 - 5 =D
48 + 3 × 6 =F
16 + 7 × 6 =C
20 + 3 × 2 =I
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Square roots — the last clue
Final tracking radar calculates the precise radius of a square forcefield generator room.
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(49) = ?
sqrt(25) = ?
sqrt(100) = ?
sqrt(81) = ?
sqrt(36) = ?
sqrt(144) = ?
sqrt(9) = ?
sqrt(4) = ?
sqrt(121) = ?
sqrt(64) = ?
sqrt(1) = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain used tidal telekinesis, then deployed a comet shield.
2.The villain used tidal telekinesis, then dropped a meteor anchor.
3.The villain sang a gravity whalesong, then fired a flare jetpack.
4.The villain fired a nebular blast, then dropped a meteor anchor.
5.The villain sang a gravity whalesong, then dropped a meteor anchor.
6.The villain engaged a solar hydro jet, then swung a plasma trident.
7.The villain engaged a solar hydro jet, then dropped a meteor anchor.
8.The villain activated starlight cloaking, then adjusted a crystal helm.
9.The villain fired a nebular blast, then fired a flare jetpack.
10.The villain activated starlight cloaking, then dropped a meteor anchor.
11.The villain fired a nebular blast, then deployed a comet shield.
12.The villain activated starlight cloaking, then fired a flare jetpack.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Oceanus Nebula Mystery
Culprit: Nerida Cosmos (Nebular Blast · Meteor Anchor · Left Fin Pulsing · Nebula Purple · High Pitch Sonar)
- Clue 1 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A CRYSTAL HELM"legs 15 and 20, hypotenuse = 25 (T) · legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse = 52 (V) · legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse = 58 (U) · legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (S) · legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse = 65 (O) · legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse = 41 (N) · legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse = 5 (C) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (E) · legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse = 87 (D) · legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse = 26 (M) · legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse = 85 (L) · legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse = 125 (I) · legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse = 40 (R) · legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse = 68 (Y) · legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse = 29 (A) · legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse = 111 (H)
- Clue 2 (Square roots): "WITNESS SAW LEFT FIN PULSING AT THE SCENE"sqrt(4) = 2 (W) · sqrt(196) = 14 (S) · sqrt(361) = 19 (F) · sqrt(144) = 12 (P) · sqrt(25) = 5 (C) · sqrt(49) = 7 (U) · sqrt(36) = 6 (N) · sqrt(100) = 10 (L) · sqrt(225) = 15 (A) · sqrt(529) = 23 (E) · sqrt(169) = 13 (G) · sqrt(400) = 20 (I) · sqrt(576) = 24 (H) · sqrt(16) = 4 (T)
- Clue 3 (Exponents): "HIGH PITCH SONAR DROVE THE VILLAIN BACK"18^2 = 324 (H) · 15^2 = 225 (E) · 16^2 = 256 (R) · 20^2 = 400 (N) · 2^2 = 4 (T) · 3^3 = 27 (V) · 2^7 = 128 (K) · 17^2 = 289 (O) · 9^2 = 81 (I) · 10^2 = 100 (P) · 4^3 = 64 (C) · 2^5 = 32 (S) · 9^3 = 729 (D) · 5^3 = 125 (B) · 12^2 = 144 (L) · 5^2 = 25 (A) · 3^5 = 243 (G)
- Clue 4 (Order of operations): "PURPLE FIN TISSUE WAS FOUND NEAR THE LOCK"16 + 5 × 8 = 56 (P) · 11 × 9 - 17 = 82 (K) · 65 + 9 × 3 = 92 (N) · 78 + 3 × 5 = 93 (S) · 12 × 3 - 7 = 29 (T) · 10 × 10 - 28 = 72 (E) · 5 × 11 - 28 = 27 (L) · 81 + 3 × 7 = 102 (A) · 24 + 4 × 7 = 52 (O) · 84 + 8 × 3 = 108 (W) · 10 + 7 × 2 = 24 (U) · 15 + 5 × 2 = 25 (R) · 83 + 4 × 5 = 103 (H) · 10 × 10 - 5 = 95 (D) · 48 + 3 × 6 = 66 (F) · 16 + 7 × 6 = 58 (C) · 20 + 3 × 2 = 26 (I)
- Clue 5 (Square roots): surviving statement (box 4) → Nerida Cosmossqrt(49) = 7 · sqrt(25) = 5 · sqrt(100) = 10 · sqrt(81) = 9 · sqrt(36) = 6 · sqrt(144) = 12 · sqrt(9) = 3 · sqrt(4) = 2 · sqrt(121) = 11 · sqrt(64) = 8 · sqrt(1) = 1
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 Oceanus Nebula Mystery — set in Oceanus Submerged Space Station
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects