🔎 HalloweenGrade 8Reading: grades 7-9ExponentsSquare rootsPythagorean theoremOrder of operationsTwo-step equations
The Pumpkin Patch Phantom
Someone smashed the prize pumpkin right before midnight! Solve the math clues to identify the culprit before the weigh-in ends.
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 | Main Power | Extra Power | Tell | Hair | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gomez Addams | Pumpkin Launcher | Echo Screech | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Salt Spray |
| Vincent Price | Shadow Blaster | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Bright Flash |
| Morticia Addams | Bat Swarm | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Black Hood | Bright Flash |
| Grandpa Munster | Pumpkin Launcher | Web Spinner | Left Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Bela Lugosi | Shadow Blaster | Echo Screech | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Garlic Mist |
| Wednesday Addams | Pumpkin Launcher | Glider Wings | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Laurie Strode | Shadow Blaster | Glow Aura | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Jack O Lantern | Bat Swarm | Glider Wings | Right Handed | Orange Wig | Salt Spray |
| Eddie Munster | Fog Weaver | Web Spinner | Right Handed | Black Hood | Bright Flash |
| Casper Ghost | Shadow Blaster | Glider Wings | Right Handed | Black Hood | Bright Flash |
| Ichabod Crane | Fog Weaver | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Winifred Sanderson | Candy Thief | Echo Screech | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Salt Spray |
| Igor Stitch | Candy Thief | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Orange Wig | Bright Flash |
| Pugsley Addams | Fog Weaver | Glider Wings | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Bright Flash |
| Victor Frankenstein | Pumpkin Launcher | Echo Screech | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Elvira Dark | Fog Weaver | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Purple Spikes | Salt Spray |
| Uncle Fester | Bat Swarm | Glider Wings | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Sarah Sanderson | Candy Thief | Glow Aura | Right Handed | Black Hood | Bright Flash |
| Sabrina Spellman | Bat Swarm | Glider Wings | Left Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
| Boris Karloff | Candy Thief | Glow Aura | Left Handed | Orange Wig | Bright Flash |
| Salem Spellman | Shadow Blaster | Ghost Step | Right Handed | Black Hood | Garlic Mist |
Clue 1
Exponents
To calculate power growth in the spell book decode the exponential rating on the ancient cauldron.
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
64
256
196
324
144
196
4
400
729
49
196
324
144
49
T
64
32
324
196
243
256
49
324
T
64
324
T
64
196
225
4^3 =T
3^5 =G
2^5 =U
14^2 =E
12^2 =N
3^6 =D
2^8 =H
18^2 =S
15^2 =P
7^2 =O
2^2 =A
20^2 =K
0/12 letters found
Clue 2
Square roots
The security grid area is square so finding its side length requires evaluating the square root.
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
12
18
21
9
13
11
11
11
24
W
12
21
23
13
3
5
11
13
16
18
15
23
21
23
24
9
25
sqrt(144) =W
sqrt(324) =I
sqrt(256) =R
sqrt(529) =H
sqrt(441) =T
sqrt(625) =D
sqrt(9) =M
sqrt(225) =G
sqrt(121) =S
sqrt(576) =A
sqrt(81) =N
sqrt(169) =E
sqrt(25) =U
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Pythagorean theorem
To measure the diagonal path taken across the pumpkin field calculate the hypotenuse.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
G
74
75
26
10
34
51
5
34
68
39
51
29
75
68
20
15
39
29
20
5
40
52
52
legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse =G
legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse =H
legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =D
legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse =L
legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse =S
legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =A
legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse =F
legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse =R
legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =T
legs 12 and 16, hypotenuse =E
legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse =M
legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =I
legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse =C
legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse =O
0/14 letters found
Clue 4
Order of operations
The automated lock keypad requires evaluating the operational priority of the code steps.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
B
92
53
99
44
100
110
91
91
39
82
99
B
92
46
61
44
43
112
46
99
84
39
43
46
14
8
99
61
84
14
39
10 × 10 - 8 =B
12 × 6 - 26 =R
8 × 7 - 12 =C
1 + 6 × 7 =S
12 × 9 - 9 =A
79 + 7 × 3 =K
12 × 9 - 26 =F
2 + 6 × 2 =E
7 × 10 - 17 =L
11 × 11 - 11 =H
71 + 5 × 4 =O
91 + 3 × 7 =T
4 + 2 × 2 =M
10 × 6 - 21 =D
10 × 9 - 29 =I
11 × 10 - 26 =N
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Two-step equations — the last clue
To balance the scale at the weighing station solve the two step equation for the missing weight.
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
5x + 1 = 51, x = ?
3x + 1 = 13, x = ?
2x + 1 = 23, x = ?
2x + 10 = 26, x = ?
2x + 10 = 28, x = ?
2x + 1 = 13, x = ?
2x + 3 = 9, x = ?
3x + 2 = 38, x = ?
4x + 6 = 10, x = ?
2x + 10 = 24, x = ?
2x + 11 = 15, x = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain launched a heavy pumpkin, then used ghost step.
2.The villain wove a thick fog, then used ghost step.
3.The villain snatched the candy bag, then spun a sticky web.
4.The villain launched a heavy pumpkin, then deployed glider wings.
5.The villain fired a shadow blast, then activated a glow aura.
6.The villain summoned a bat swarm, then spun a sticky web.
7.The villain summoned a bat swarm, then unleashed an echo screech.
8.The villain summoned a bat swarm, then used ghost step.
9.The villain summoned a bat swarm, then activated a glow aura.
10.The villain summoned a bat swarm, then deployed glider wings.
11.The villain launched a heavy pumpkin, then unleashed an echo screech.
12.The villain wove a thick fog, then deployed glider wings.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Pumpkin Patch Phantom
Culprit: Laurie Strode (Shadow Blaster · Glow Aura · Right Handed · Black Hood · Garlic Mist)
- Clue 1 (Exponents): "THE SNEAK DOES NOT USE GHOST STEP"4^3 = 64 (T) · 3^5 = 243 (G) · 2^5 = 32 (U) · 14^2 = 196 (E) · 12^2 = 144 (N) · 3^6 = 729 (D) · 2^8 = 256 (H) · 18^2 = 324 (S) · 15^2 = 225 (P) · 7^2 = 49 (O) · 2^2 = 4 (A) · 20^2 = 400 (K)
- Clue 2 (Square roots): "WITNESS SAW THEM USE RIGHT HAND"sqrt(144) = 12 (W) · sqrt(324) = 18 (I) · sqrt(256) = 16 (R) · sqrt(529) = 23 (H) · sqrt(441) = 21 (T) · sqrt(625) = 25 (D) · sqrt(9) = 3 (M) · sqrt(225) = 15 (G) · sqrt(121) = 11 (S) · sqrt(576) = 24 (A) · sqrt(81) = 9 (N) · sqrt(169) = 13 (E) · sqrt(25) = 5 (U)
- Clue 3 (Pythagorean theorem): "GARLIC MIST CHASED THEM OFF"legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse = 74 (G) · legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse = 29 (H) · legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (D) · legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse = 10 (L) · legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse = 68 (S) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (A) · legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse = 52 (F) · legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse = 26 (R) · legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (T) · legs 12 and 16, hypotenuse = 20 (E) · legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse = 5 (M) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (I) · legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse = 51 (C) · legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse = 40 (O)
- Clue 4 (Order of operations): "BLACK HOOD FABRIC STRANDS REMAINED"10 × 10 - 8 = 92 (B) · 12 × 6 - 26 = 46 (R) · 8 × 7 - 12 = 44 (C) · 1 + 6 × 7 = 43 (S) · 12 × 9 - 9 = 99 (A) · 79 + 7 × 3 = 100 (K) · 12 × 9 - 26 = 82 (F) · 2 + 6 × 2 = 14 (E) · 7 × 10 - 17 = 53 (L) · 11 × 11 - 11 = 110 (H) · 71 + 5 × 4 = 91 (O) · 91 + 3 × 7 = 112 (T) · 4 + 2 × 2 = 8 (M) · 10 × 6 - 21 = 39 (D) · 10 × 9 - 29 = 61 (I) · 11 × 10 - 26 = 84 (N)
- Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 5) → Laurie Strode5x + 1 = 51, x = 10 · 3x + 1 = 13, x = 4 · 2x + 1 = 23, x = 11 · 2x + 10 = 26, x = 8 · 2x + 10 = 28, x = 9 · 2x + 1 = 13, x = 6 · 2x + 3 = 9, x = 3 · 3x + 2 = 38, x = 12 · 4x + 6 = 10, x = 1 · 2x + 10 = 24, x = 7 · 2x + 11 = 15, x = 2
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 8 math
- Math topics
- Exponents, Square roots, Pythagorean theorem, Order of operations, Two-step equations
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Pumpkin Patch Phantom — set in Midnight Hollow Pumpkin Patch
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects