🚀 SpaceGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
Case of the Comet Snatcher
One quiet morning on Orbit-9, the alarm bells rang. Commander Vega was gone, and a trail of glowing comet dust led down the hall. Junior Detective, the station needs you to find the Comet Snatcher fast.
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 | Ship Class | Gadget | Pilot Type | Hull Color | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finn Cole | Moon Hopper | warp jump | girl | red hull | cold air |
| Milo Stark | Nebula Scout | laser drill | girl | green hull | loud alarm |
| Astra Quinn | Rocket Cruiser | tractor beam | boy | blue hull | loud alarm |
| Nina Vox | Comet Racer | ion blast | boy | blue hull | cold air |
| Iris Blake | Nebula Scout | ion blast | girl | green hull | loud alarm |
| Bram Hale | Rocket Cruiser | tractor beam | girl | red hull | cold air |
| Hugo Frost | Nebula Scout | laser drill | girl | green hull | cold air |
| Polly Vance | Nebula Scout | tractor beam | boy | blue hull | cold air |
| Theo Pike | Comet Racer | ion blast | boy | red hull | cold air |
| Vega Sol | Comet Racer | cloak shield | girl | red hull | bright flashlight |
| Captain Orla | Star Glider | ion blast | boy | green hull | bright flashlight |
| Mara Bell | Nebula Scout | cloak shield | boy | blue hull | cold air |
| Stella Mora | Comet Racer | warp jump | boy | red hull | loud alarm |
| Jett Marsh | Comet Racer | cloak shield | girl | green hull | cold air |
| Zuri Kane | Nebula Scout | laser drill | girl | blue hull | loud alarm |
| Nova Reyes | Star Glider | tractor beam | boy | green hull | cold air |
| Otis Lang | Moon Hopper | warp jump | girl | green hull | cold air |
| Rocco Dunn | Comet Racer | tractor beam | girl | blue hull | cold air |
| Cosmo Ray | Moon Hopper | ion blast | girl | green hull | cold air |
| Dex Calder | Comet Racer | laser drill | girl | green hull | cold air |
| Pilot Zane | Comet Racer | warp jump | boy | blue hull | loud alarm |
Clue 1
Rounding
You check the station's radar screen, but it only shows rounded distances. Round the readings to see which gadget the snatcher could not have used.
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
600
8000
90
40
5000
2000
2000
30
5000
700
9000
30
700
700
4000
T
600
300
7000
90
30
9000
2000
4000
30
3000
7000
8000
5000
90
2000
900
Round 587 to the nearest hundredT
Round 749 to the nearest hundredN
Round 4,653 to the nearest thousandI
Round 2,352 to the nearest thousandL
Round 335 to the nearest hundredU
Round 2,673 to the nearest thousandK
Round 3,966 to the nearest thousandO
Round 8,190 to the nearest thousandH
Round 43 to the nearest tenV
Round 7,315 to the nearest thousandS
Round 32 to the nearest tenA
Round 851 to the nearest hundredD
Round 9,328 to the nearest thousandC
Round 93 to the nearest tenE
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
Supplies are scattered in the launch bay. Count and add up the clues to learn if the pilot was a boy or a girl.
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
522
690
224
447
688
392
281
281
281
A
522
690
A
522
488
224
582
521
317
224
521
776
447
600
521
392
392
339 + 183 =A
140 + 177 =P
246 + 201 =T
253 + 523 =O
145 + 136 =S
93 + 131 =I
338 + 352 =W
416 + 272 =N
320 + 262 =R
216 + 176 =E
207 + 393 =F
326 + 162 =G
157 + 364 =L
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
Commander Vega left a note about the fight. Subtract to find out which weakness she used to push the snatcher back.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
V
469
752
529
650
254
759
564
529
316
294
864
650
587
594
252
755
294
316
587
759
825
534
650
755
270
674 - 205 =V
479 - 227 =W
487 - 233 =F
703 - 116 =C
1152 - 397 =I
735 - 171 =U
1221 - 357 =B
608 - 79 =G
1006 - 181 =L
717 - 123 =K
1126 - 367 =O
753 - 103 =A
856 - 322 =D
598 - 304 =T
523 - 253 =R
932 - 180 =E
319 - 3 =H
0/17 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
Tiny chips of hull paint sit in rows on the door. Multiply the rows to match the snatcher's hull color.
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
42
56
12
12
2
14
21
45
45
108
88
144
2
81
36
88
132
45
12
24
81
15
2
81
14
12
84
15
15
56
6 × 7 =G
7 × 12 =D
1 × 2 =N
9 × 9 =T
3 × 5 =O
11 × 8 =A
7 × 3 =U
9 × 5 =L
7 × 2 =H
9 × 12 =P
7 × 8 =R
9 × 4 =W
12 × 12 =I
4 × 3 =E
12 × 11 =S
8 × 3 =F
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Now you split the leftover comet dust into equal piles. Divide to lock in the snatcher's exact ship class.
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 ÷ 10 = ?
25 ÷ 5 = ?
90 ÷ 9 = ?
120 ÷ 10 = ?
8 ÷ 8 = ?
20 ÷ 10 = ?
108 ÷ 12 = ?
20 ÷ 5 = ?
96 ÷ 12 = ?
36 ÷ 12 = ?
77 ÷ 7 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain roars in on a rocket cruiser, then fires an ion blast.
2.The villain slips by on a star glider, then warp jumps away.
3.The villain slips by on a star glider, then grabs with a tractor beam.
4.The villain sneaks in on a nebula scout, then grabs with a tractor beam.
5.The villain bounces in on a moon hopper, then fires an ion blast.
6.The villain bounces in on a moon hopper, then warp jumps away.
7.The villain sneaks in on a nebula scout, then drills the door lock.
8.The villain sneaks in on a nebula scout, then fires an ion blast.
9.The villain bounces in on a moon hopper, then grabs with a tractor beam.
10.The villain zooms in on a comet racer, then drills the door lock.
11.The villain slips by on a star glider, then drills the door lock.
12.The villain roars in on a rocket cruiser, then warp jumps away.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — Case of the Comet Snatcher
Culprit: Hugo Frost (Nebula Scout · laser drill · girl · green hull · cold air)
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT USE A CLOAK SHIELD"Round 587 to the nearest hundred = 600 (T) · Round 749 to the nearest hundred = 700 (N) · Round 4,653 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (I) · Round 2,352 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (L) · Round 335 to the nearest hundred = 300 (U) · Round 2,673 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (K) · Round 3,966 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (O) · Round 8,190 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (H) · Round 43 to the nearest ten = 40 (V) · Round 7,315 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (S) · Round 32 to the nearest ten = 30 (A) · Round 851 to the nearest hundred = 900 (D) · Round 9,328 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (C) · Round 93 to the nearest ten = 90 (E)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "A WITNESS SAW A GIRL PILOT FLEE"339 + 183 = 522 (A) · 140 + 177 = 317 (P) · 246 + 201 = 447 (T) · 253 + 523 = 776 (O) · 145 + 136 = 281 (S) · 93 + 131 = 224 (I) · 338 + 352 = 690 (W) · 416 + 272 = 688 (N) · 320 + 262 = 582 (R) · 216 + 176 = 392 (E) · 207 + 393 = 600 (F) · 326 + 162 = 488 (G) · 157 + 364 = 521 (L)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "VEGA FOUGHT BACK WITH COLD AIR"674 - 205 = 469 (V) · 479 - 227 = 252 (W) · 487 - 233 = 254 (F) · 703 - 116 = 587 (C) · 1152 - 397 = 755 (I) · 735 - 171 = 564 (U) · 1221 - 357 = 864 (B) · 608 - 79 = 529 (G) · 1006 - 181 = 825 (L) · 717 - 123 = 594 (K) · 1126 - 367 = 759 (O) · 753 - 103 = 650 (A) · 856 - 322 = 534 (D) · 598 - 304 = 294 (T) · 523 - 253 = 270 (R) · 932 - 180 = 752 (E) · 319 - 3 = 316 (H)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "GREEN HULL PAINT WAS LEFT ON THE DOOR"6 × 7 = 42 (G) · 7 × 12 = 84 (D) · 1 × 2 = 2 (N) · 9 × 9 = 81 (T) · 3 × 5 = 15 (O) · 11 × 8 = 88 (A) · 7 × 3 = 21 (U) · 9 × 5 = 45 (L) · 7 × 2 = 14 (H) · 9 × 12 = 108 (P) · 7 × 8 = 56 (R) · 9 × 4 = 36 (W) · 12 × 12 = 144 (I) · 4 × 3 = 12 (E) · 12 × 11 = 132 (S) · 8 × 3 = 24 (F)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Hugo Frost60 ÷ 10 = 6 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 90 ÷ 9 = 10 · 120 ÷ 10 = 12 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1 · 20 ÷ 10 = 2 · 108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 20 ÷ 5 = 4 · 96 ÷ 12 = 8 · 36 ÷ 12 = 3 · 77 ÷ 7 = 11
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- Case of the Comet Snatcher — set in the space station Orbit-9
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects