🚀 SpaceGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

Case of the Comet Thief

Someone snuck onto Orbit-9 and took Captain Vega right out of the control room. The only clues left behind are floating in zero gravity. It is up to you to scan the suspects and find the Comet Thief before their ship jumps away.

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	Crew Type	Hull Color	Weakness
Milo Star	Moon Glider	Shield Bubble	Human	Silver Hull	Bright Lights
Luna Drake	Star Cruiser	Tractor Beam	Robot	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Captain Nova	Solar Skiff	Shield Bubble	Human	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Kit Stardust	Moon Glider	Tractor Beam	Robot	Red Hull	Cold Air
Dax Pulsar	Comet Racer	Tractor Beam	Robot	Silver Hull	Cold Air
Tally Orbit	Moon Glider	Cloaking Field	Robot	Silver Hull	Bright Lights
Jett Corona	Star Cruiser	Warp Jump	Human	Blue Hull	Cold Air
Pip Galaxy	Asteroid Hopper	Tractor Beam	Human	Blue Hull	Loud Alarms
Pilot Orion	Asteroid Hopper	Tractor Beam	Human	Red Hull	Bright Lights
Echo Lune	Star Cruiser	Laser Drill	Human	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Zara Comet	Moon Glider	Cloaking Field	Human	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Bo Saturn	Star Cruiser	Warp Jump	Human	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Wren Eclipse	Moon Glider	Tractor Beam	Robot	Silver Hull	Cold Air
Cosmo Reed	Moon Glider	Tractor Beam	Human	Blue Hull	Loud Alarms
Nova Kade	Star Cruiser	Shield Bubble	Robot	Red Hull	Loud Alarms
Sol Brightly	Moon Glider	Cloaking Field	Human	Blue Hull	Cold Air
Astra Bloom	Comet Racer	Laser Drill	Robot	Blue Hull	Loud Alarms
Bren Nebula	Asteroid Hopper	Cloaking Field	Robot	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Iris Halley	Star Cruiser	Cloaking Field	Human	Red Hull	Cold Air
Mira Solis	Solar Skiff	Tractor Beam	Human	Blue Hull	Bright Lights
Vesper Sky	Asteroid Hopper	Laser Drill	Robot	Red Hull	Loud Alarms

Clue 1

Rounding

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

470000

200

310

2000

50000

5000

2000

4700

140

5000

4700

700

470000

280000

5000

70000

280

14000

280

Round 469,748 to the nearest ten thousandT

Round 68 to the nearest tenH

Round 218 to the nearest hundredE

Round 307 to the nearest tenV

Round 1,816 to the nearest thousandI

Round 54,041 to the nearest ten thousandL

Round 4,971 to the nearest thousandA

Round 4,730 to the nearest hundredN

Round 137 to the nearest tenC

Round 698 to the nearest hundredO

Round 277,255 to the nearest ten thousandW

Round 65,334 to the nearest ten thousandR

Round 278 to the nearest tenP

Round 26 to the nearest tenJ

Round 14,493 to the nearest thousandU

Round 24 to the nearest tenM

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

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

6118

7913

3810

8225

5408

3623

9205

6118

7913

6118

9118

4068

6380

6118

5408

2106

3810

6364

2554

8225

2309

6364

3623

3774 + 2344 =A

4666 + 3247 =W

2413 + 1397 =I

2578 + 5647 =T

2253 + 3155 =N

1791 + 1832 =E

5445 + 3760 =S

3500 + 5618 =H

2364 + 1704 =U

1983 + 4397 =M

1340 + 766 =P

4008 + 2356 =L

997 + 1557 =O

959 + 1350 =F

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

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

1394

7848

7647

2512

3239

4883

2179

6247

7848

2512

1334

3373

8042

7647

4883

2643

7107

8042

7647

4883

2643

2179

7848

3239

5304

2512

2511

7848

3545 - 2151 =V

9824 - 1976 =E

10236 - 2589 =G

4864 - 2352 =A

7629 - 4390 =S

6098 - 1215 =H

4300 - 2121 =O

7723 - 1476 =N

6080 - 4746 =B

7837 - 4464 =R

12993 - 4951 =I

3734 - 1091 =T

11985 - 4878 =L

5880 - 576 =C

6984 - 4473 =P

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1–12)

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

121

120

3 × 3 =B

11 × 8 =L

7 × 12 =U

6 × 3 =E

4 × 3 =H

8 × 7 =P

11 × 11 =A

4 × 2 =I

1 × 3 =N

2 × 7 =T

8 × 12 =W

7 × 9 =S

6 × 7 =F

12 × 10 =O

9 × 3 =D

10 × 3 =R

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1–12) — the last clue

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

9 ÷ 3 = ?

80 ÷ 8 = ?

60 ÷ 12 = ?

2 ÷ 1 = ?

132 ÷ 12 = ?

70 ÷ 10 = ?

18 ÷ 3 = ?

72 ÷ 8 = ?

16 ÷ 2 = ?

144 ÷ 12 = ?

3 ÷ 3 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain swoops in on a star cruiser, then vanishes with a cloaking field.

2.The villain sails over on a solar skiff, then traps the room in a shield bubble.

3.The villain sails over on a solar skiff, then grabs the captain with a tractor beam.

4.The villain swoops in on a star cruiser, then traps the room in a shield bubble.

5.The villain sails over on a solar skiff, then jams the airlock controls.

6.The villain streaks past on a comet racer, then blasts through with a laser drill.

7.The villain swoops in on a star cruiser, then jams the airlock controls.

8.The villain streaks past on a comet racer, then grabs the captain with a tractor beam.

9.The villain bounces close on an asteroid hopper, then jams the airlock controls.

10.The villain drifts down on a moon glider, then vanishes with a cloaking field.

11.The villain drifts down on a moon glider, then traps the room in a shield bubble.

12.The villain streaks past on a comet racer, then jams the airlock controls.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — Case of the Comet Thief

Culprit: Echo Lune (Star Cruiser · Laser Drill · Human · Blue Hull · Bright Lights)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT WARP JUMP"
Round 469,748 to the nearest ten thousand = 470000 (T) · Round 68 to the nearest ten = 70 (H) · Round 218 to the nearest hundred = 200 (E) · Round 307 to the nearest ten = 310 (V) · Round 1,816 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (I) · Round 54,041 to the nearest ten thousand = 50000 (L) · Round 4,971 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (A) · Round 4,730 to the nearest hundred = 4700 (N) · Round 137 to the nearest ten = 140 (C) · Round 698 to the nearest hundred = 700 (O) · Round 277,255 to the nearest ten thousand = 280000 (W) · Round 65,334 to the nearest ten thousand = 70000 (R) · Round 278 to the nearest ten = 280 (P) · Round 26 to the nearest ten = 30 (J) · Round 14,493 to the nearest thousand = 14000 (U) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (M)
Clue 2 (Addition): "A WITNESS SAW A HUMAN PILOT FLEE"
3774 + 2344 = 6118 (A) · 4666 + 3247 = 7913 (W) · 2413 + 1397 = 3810 (I) · 2578 + 5647 = 8225 (T) · 2253 + 3155 = 5408 (N) · 1791 + 1832 = 3623 (E) · 5445 + 3760 = 9205 (S) · 3500 + 5618 = 9118 (H) · 2364 + 1704 = 4068 (U) · 1983 + 4397 = 6380 (M) · 1340 + 766 = 2106 (P) · 4008 + 2356 = 6364 (L) · 997 + 1557 = 2554 (O) · 959 + 1350 = 2309 (F)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "VEGA SHONE A BRIGHT LIGHT TO ESCAPE"
3545 - 2151 = 1394 (V) · 9824 - 1976 = 7848 (E) · 10236 - 2589 = 7647 (G) · 4864 - 2352 = 2512 (A) · 7629 - 4390 = 3239 (S) · 6098 - 1215 = 4883 (H) · 4300 - 2121 = 2179 (O) · 7723 - 1476 = 6247 (N) · 6080 - 4746 = 1334 (B) · 7837 - 4464 = 3373 (R) · 12993 - 4951 = 8042 (I) · 3734 - 1091 = 2643 (T) · 11985 - 4878 = 7107 (L) · 5880 - 576 = 5304 (C) · 6984 - 4473 = 2511 (P)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1–12)): "BLUE HULL PAINT WAS FOUND ON THE DOOR"
3 × 3 = 9 (B) · 11 × 8 = 88 (L) · 7 × 12 = 84 (U) · 6 × 3 = 18 (E) · 4 × 3 = 12 (H) · 8 × 7 = 56 (P) · 11 × 11 = 121 (A) · 4 × 2 = 8 (I) · 1 × 3 = 3 (N) · 2 × 7 = 14 (T) · 8 × 12 = 96 (W) · 7 × 9 = 63 (S) · 6 × 7 = 42 (F) · 12 × 10 = 120 (O) · 9 × 3 = 27 (D) · 10 × 3 = 30 (R)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1–12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Echo Lune
9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 60 ÷ 12 = 5 · 2 ÷ 1 = 2 · 132 ÷ 12 = 11 · 70 ÷ 10 = 7 · 18 ÷ 3 = 6 · 72 ÷ 8 = 9 · 16 ÷ 2 = 8 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 3 ÷ 3 = 1

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 4 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: Case of the Comet Thief — set in the space station Orbit-9
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects