🔎 ScienceGrade 8Reading: grades 5-6ExponentsSquare rootsPythagorean theoremOrder of operationsTwo-step equations
The Quantum Lab Sabotage
A high-tech experiment was interrupted at the Subatomic Research Facility! A rogue researcher snuck into the central core, jammed the core containment grid, and vanished into the steam pipes. Clues left behind around the laboratory will help identify the culprit.
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 Device | Secondary Gear | Dominant Hand | Hair Color | System Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Pasteur | Laser Cutter | Surveillance Drone | Right Handed | Raven Hair | Neon Light |
| Chien Shiung Wu | Plasma Torch | Miniature Jetpack | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Erwin Schrodinger | Sonic Disruptor | Handheld Scanner | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Copper Shield |
| Barbara McClintock | Magnet Array | Miniature Jetpack | Left Handed | Chestnut Hair | Salt Water |
| Isaac Newton | Magnet Array | Handheld Scanner | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Carl Sagan | Plasma Torch | Surveillance Drone | Right Handed | Chestnut Hair | Neon Light |
| Galileo Galilei | Magnet Array | Miniature Jetpack | Left Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Marie Curie | Freeze Ray | Miniature Jetpack | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Dorothy Hodgkin | Laser Cutter | Power Glove | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Copper Shield |
| Charles Darwin | Laser Cutter | Surveillance Drone | Right Handed | Chestnut Hair | Salt Water |
| Alan Turing | Freeze Ray | Surveillance Drone | Left Handed | Chestnut Hair | Neon Light |
| Stephen Hawking | Magnet Array | Power Glove | Right Handed | Raven Hair | Salt Water |
| Nikola Tesla | Plasma Torch | Surveillance Drone | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Katherine Johnson | Plasma Torch | Power Glove | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Neon Light |
| Rachel Carson | Plasma Torch | Power Glove | Left Handed | Raven Hair | Copper Shield |
| Albert Einstein | Laser Cutter | Surveillance Drone | Left Handed | Raven Hair | Copper Shield |
| Dmitry Mendeleev | Laser Cutter | Thermal Goggles | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Salt Water |
| Alexander Fleming | Sonic Disruptor | Surveillance Drone | Right Handed | Silver Hair | Salt Water |
| Lise Meitner | Freeze Ray | Miniature Jetpack | Left Handed | Chestnut Hair | Neon Light |
| Rosalind Franklin | Laser Cutter | Power Glove | Left Handed | Chestnut Hair | Neon Light |
| Michael Faraday | Magnet Array | Miniature Jetpack | Left Handed | Chestnut Hair | Neon Light |
Clue 1
Exponents
Bacterial culture counts double exponentially each hour on the terminal display.
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
289
625
484
36
81
256
256
324
81
243
225
8
484
4
243
8
T
289
16
4
484
324
400
8
361
484
216
729
256
8
36
484
17^2 =T
4^4 =L
2^3 =O
20^2 =P
6^2 =V
19^2 =W
5^4 =H
22^2 =E
6^3 =R
3^6 =G
9^2 =I
18^2 =A
15^2 =D
3^5 =N
2^4 =U
2^2 =S
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Square roots
Calculating the grid length of the containment room requires taking the square root of the floor area.
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
7
8
15
2
18
2
3
15
6
T
7
8
15
11
14
T
7
8
15
16
15
25
19
15
22
17
5
T
7
8
15
17
22
22
17
9
8
T
7
8
25
5
14
sqrt(49) =T
sqrt(4) =S
sqrt(36) =C
sqrt(324) =U
sqrt(361) =K
sqrt(256) =B
sqrt(9) =P
sqrt(64) =H
sqrt(196) =D
sqrt(25) =N
sqrt(625) =A
sqrt(484) =R
sqrt(81) =G
sqrt(289) =I
sqrt(225) =E
sqrt(121) =L
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Pythagorean theorem
Finding the direct distance between two diagonal laser sensors requires using the Pythagorean theorem.
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
15
65
82
74
82
75
52
58
82
41
25
10
39
50
17
58
T
15
52
85
17
51
50
17
74
82
40
17
82
85
17
10
52
34
65
T
15
legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =T
legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse =C
legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse =L
legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse =D
legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =F
legs 14 and 48, hypotenuse =U
legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =V
legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse =R
legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse =M
legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse =N
legs 7 and 24, hypotenuse =A
legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =G
legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse =S
legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse =H
legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse =O
legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse =E
legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse =I
0/17 letters found
Clue 4
Order of operations
Unlocking the automated chemical mixer requires evaluating expressions using the correct order of operations.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
74
70
67
10
65
25
23
62
70
25
S
74
29
25
62
82
14
S
74
27
65
25
65
63
68
71
82
14
68
82
29
23
65
67
62
60
59
68
62
29
8 × 11 - 14 =S
10 × 8 - 18 =A
52 + 6 × 5 =N
1 + 7 × 4 =T
10 + 3 × 5 =R
11 × 7 - 12 =E
51 + 3 × 3 =B
7 × 9 - 4 =C
8 × 11 - 20 =O
1 + 3 × 3 =V
42 + 7 × 4 =I
7 × 8 - 29 =W
3 × 9 - 4 =H
12 × 7 - 13 =U
10 × 3 - 16 =D
53 + 7 × 2 =L
8 × 8 - 1 =F
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Two-step equations — the last clue
Solving for the unknown voltage across the main power bus requires setting up a two step equation.
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 + 12 = 37, x = ?
6x + 11 = 29, x = ?
5x + 3 = 23, x = ?
2x + 11 = 13, x = ?
3x + 8 = 29, x = ?
5x + 10 = 40, x = ?
2x + 8 = 32, x = ?
2x + 3 = 21, x = ?
4x + 11 = 19, x = ?
4x + 1 = 33, x = ?
6x + 3 = 69, x = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain melts the security door with a plasma torch, then calibrates a handheld scanner.
2.The villain disrupts the sensors with a magnet array, then activates a miniature jetpack.
3.The villain melts the security door with a plasma torch, then activates a miniature jetpack.
4.The villain melts the security door with a plasma torch, then deploys a surveillance drone.
5.The villain disrupts the sensors with a magnet array, then calibrates a handheld scanner.
6.The villain shatters the glass casing with a sonic disruptor, then adjusts thermal goggles.
7.The villain blasts the reactor with a laser cutter, then charges up a power glove.
8.The villain freezes the coolant tanks with a freeze ray, then calibrates a handheld scanner.
9.The villain melts the security door with a plasma torch, then charges up a power glove.
10.The villain freezes the coolant tanks with a freeze ray, then activates a miniature jetpack.
11.The villain shatters the glass casing with a sonic disruptor, then deploys a surveillance drone.
12.The villain melts the security door with a plasma torch, then adjusts thermal goggles.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Quantum Lab Sabotage
Culprit: Marie Curie (Freeze Ray · Miniature Jetpack · Right Handed · Silver Hair · Neon Light)
- Clue 1 (Exponents): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A POWER GLOVE"17^2 = 289 (T) · 4^4 = 256 (L) · 2^3 = 8 (O) · 20^2 = 400 (P) · 6^2 = 36 (V) · 19^2 = 361 (W) · 5^4 = 625 (H) · 22^2 = 484 (E) · 6^3 = 216 (R) · 3^6 = 729 (G) · 9^2 = 81 (I) · 18^2 = 324 (A) · 15^2 = 225 (D) · 3^5 = 243 (N) · 2^4 = 16 (U) · 2^2 = 4 (S)
- Clue 2 (Square roots): "THE SUSPECT HELD THE BEAKER IN THEIR RIGHT HAND"sqrt(49) = 7 (T) · sqrt(4) = 2 (S) · sqrt(36) = 6 (C) · sqrt(324) = 18 (U) · sqrt(361) = 19 (K) · sqrt(256) = 16 (B) · sqrt(9) = 3 (P) · sqrt(64) = 8 (H) · sqrt(196) = 14 (D) · sqrt(25) = 5 (N) · sqrt(625) = 25 (A) · sqrt(484) = 22 (R) · sqrt(81) = 9 (G) · sqrt(289) = 17 (I) · sqrt(225) = 15 (E) · sqrt(121) = 11 (L)
- Clue 3 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE DEVICE MALFUNCTIONS UNDER NEON LIGHT"legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (T) · legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse = 58 (C) · legs 6 and 8, hypotenuse = 10 (L) · legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse = 74 (D) · legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (F) · legs 14 and 48, hypotenuse = 50 (U) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (V) · legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse = 40 (R) · legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse = 41 (M) · legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse = 17 (N) · legs 7 and 24, hypotenuse = 25 (A) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (G) · legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse = 51 (S) · legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse = 65 (H) · legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse = 85 (O) · legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse = 82 (E) · legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse = 52 (I)
- Clue 4 (Order of operations): "SILVER HAIR STRANDS WERE FOUND ON THE LAB COAT"8 × 11 - 14 = 74 (S) · 10 × 8 - 18 = 62 (A) · 52 + 6 × 5 = 82 (N) · 1 + 7 × 4 = 29 (T) · 10 + 3 × 5 = 25 (R) · 11 × 7 - 12 = 65 (E) · 51 + 3 × 3 = 60 (B) · 7 × 9 - 4 = 59 (C) · 8 × 11 - 20 = 68 (O) · 1 + 3 × 3 = 10 (V) · 42 + 7 × 4 = 70 (I) · 7 × 8 - 29 = 27 (W) · 3 × 9 - 4 = 23 (H) · 12 × 7 - 13 = 71 (U) · 10 × 3 - 16 = 14 (D) · 53 + 7 × 2 = 67 (L) · 8 × 8 - 1 = 63 (F)
- Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 10) → Marie Curie5x + 12 = 37, x = 5 · 6x + 11 = 29, x = 3 · 5x + 3 = 23, x = 4 · 2x + 11 = 13, x = 1 · 3x + 8 = 29, x = 7 · 5x + 10 = 40, x = 6 · 2x + 8 = 32, x = 12 · 2x + 3 = 21, x = 9 · 4x + 11 = 19, x = 2 · 4x + 1 = 33, x = 8 · 6x + 3 = 69, x = 11
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 8 math
- Math topics
- Exponents, Square roots, Pythagorean theorem, Order of operations, Two-step equations
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Quantum Lab Sabotage — set in Subatomic Research Facility
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects