🚀 SpaceGrade 7Reading: grades 7-9IntegersPercentagesOrder of operationsExponentsTwo-step equations

Crisis at Kepler Outpost

A rogue saboteur has locked down Kepler Outpost Prime, trapping the Chief Astrophysicist inside the fusion core. We must decrypt the station logs to identify the culprit before life support systems fail entirely.

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 Specialization	Auxiliary Gadget	Oxygen Mask Logo	Helmet Visor Tint	System Vulnerability
Carl Sagan	Plasma Welding	EMP Grenade	Right-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
Valentina Tereshkova	Gravity Manipulation	Plasma Torch	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Freeze Ray
Charles Bolden	Solar Shielding	Plasma Torch	Left-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
Peggy Whitson	Gravity Manipulation	Sonic Screwdriver	Left-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
Kalpana Chawla	Gravity Manipulation	EMP Grenade	Left-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Magnet Trap
Henrietta Leavitt	Quantum Hacking	Gravity Boots	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Judith Resnik	Plasma Welding	Gravity Boots	Left-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Franklin Chang Diaz	Gravity Manipulation	Plasma Torch	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Magnet Trap
Sunita Williams	Solar Shielding	Plasma Torch	Right-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Magnet Trap
Edwin Hubble	Solar Shielding	Jetpack Unit	Left-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
Helen Sharman	Plasma Welding	Gravity Boots	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Guion Bluford	Gravity Manipulation	Jetpack Unit	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Sally Ride	Solar Shielding	EMP Grenade	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Yuri Gagarin	Gravity Manipulation	EMP Grenade	Right-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Ellen Ochoa	Laser Splicing	Jetpack Unit	Right-Handed Patch	Emerald Visor	Freeze Ray
Michael Collins	Solar Shielding	EMP Grenade	Left-Handed Patch	Amber Visor	Flash Bang
Katherine Johnson	Plasma Welding	Plasma Torch	Right-Handed Patch	Emerald Visor	Magnet Trap
Neil Armstrong	Quantum Hacking	Jetpack Unit	Left-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
John Glenn	Plasma Welding	Sonic Screwdriver	Right-Handed Patch	Emerald Visor	Flash Bang
Alan Shepard	Plasma Welding	Plasma Torch	Left-Handed Patch	Cobalt Visor	Freeze Ray
Chris Hadfield	Laser Splicing	Plasma Torch	Right-Handed Patch	Emerald Visor	Flash Bang

Clue 1

Integers

To find the suspects security access level we must track the outposts core temperature fluctuations where the thermal chamber dropped nineteen degrees below zero then surged twenty-four degrees

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

(-10) + 21 =T

(-12) + 28 =P

(-5) + 22 =J

(-2) + 7 =D

19 - (-3) =K

12 - (-7) =C

(-15) + 25 =N

1 - (-6) =U

10 - (-11) =H

(-8) + 10 =S

21 - (-4) =V

(-4) + 19 =I

13 - (-13) =O

26 - (-4) =A

5 - (-8) =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Percentages

We can narrow down the suspects escape route by calculating the backup generators remaining life which requires solving the percentage of reserve power still left in the terminal battery 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.

40% of 115 =T

10% of 430 =K

20% of 110 =E

50% of 106 =S

60% of 95 =Y

50% of 58 =H

10% of 210 =L

5% of 260 =C

50% of 12 =W

50% of 48 =R

25% of 236 =P

10% of 510 =N

50% of 60 =U

40% of 95 =I

20% of 260 =G

20% of 125 =D

10% of 110 =A

0/17 letters found

Clue 3

Order of operations

To decrypt the visual logs calculate the exact orbital alignment coordinates using this specific sequence of math 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.

120

100

120

100

60 + 6 × 6 =A

11 × 7 - 5 =B

46 + 2 × 6 =D

51 + 3 × 8 =F

39 + 8 × 3 =M

4 + 7 × 2 =T

14 + 2 × 6 =S

12 × 9 - 9 =U

4 × 9 - 9 =G

17 + 3 × 4 =L

7 × 12 - 5 =C

2 + 3 × 4 =I

10 × 11 - 22 =O

6 × 12 - 25 =N

84 + 6 × 6 =H

10 × 12 - 20 =E

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Exponents

The saboteur jammed our radio channels with an exponential signal and we must find the strength of the transmission by solving this exponential power equation

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

289

128

289

144

225

289

100

144

125

256

343

400

343

361

256

121

169

144

256

4^2 =W

7^3 =A

19^2 =B

2^7 =C

17^2 =D

9^2 =T

10^2 =G

5^3 =F

2^2 =E

16^2 =R

12^2 =S

8^2 =M

20^2 =N

15^2 =U

13^2 =I

3^3 =O

11^2 =V

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

The automated repair drone is tracking the culprits boot prints so calculate the distance they covered using the rate of travel plus the head start distance

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 + 9 = 44, x = ?

5x + 5 = 30, x = ?

5x + 7 = 37, x = ?

5x + 9 = 19, x = ?

4x + 6 = 42, x = ?

2x + 9 = 33, x = ?

4x + 11 = 15, x = ?

4x + 7 = 19, x = ?

5x + 12 = 52, x = ?

5x + 5 = 60, x = ?

3x + 11 = 23, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain deflected the outer radiation flares, then walked along the metal ceiling to escape detection.

2.The villain bypassed the mainframe firewall, then melted the lock mechanism on the vault.

3.The villain deflected the outer radiation flares, then melted the lock mechanism on the vault.

4.The villain warped the gravity grid, then melted the lock mechanism on the vault.

5.The villain deflected the outer radiation flares, then disabled the local cameras with an electromagnetic pulse.

6.The villain warped the gravity grid, then disabled the local cameras with an electromagnetic pulse.

7.The villain bypassed the mainframe firewall, then walked along the metal ceiling to escape detection.

8.The villain fused the emergency exit hatches, then flew across the central chasm to the control deck.

9.The villain sliced through the security bulkheads, then melted the lock mechanism on the vault.

10.The villain fused the emergency exit hatches, then walked along the metal ceiling to escape detection.

11.The villain bypassed the mainframe firewall, then disabled the local cameras with an electromagnetic pulse.

12.The villain warped the gravity grid, then walked along the metal ceiling to escape detection.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — Crisis at Kepler Outpost

Culprit: Helen Sharman (Plasma Welding · Gravity Boots · Right-Handed Patch · Amber Visor · Flash Bang)

Clue 1 (Integers): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT HAVE A JETPACK UNIT"
(-10) + 21 = 11 (T) · (-12) + 28 = 16 (P) · (-5) + 22 = 17 (J) · (-2) + 7 = 5 (D) · 19 - (-3) = 22 (K) · 12 - (-7) = 19 (C) · (-15) + 25 = 10 (N) · 1 - (-6) = 7 (U) · 10 - (-11) = 21 (H) · (-8) + 10 = 2 (S) · 21 - (-4) = 25 (V) · (-4) + 19 = 15 (I) · 13 - (-13) = 26 (O) · 26 - (-4) = 30 (A) · 5 - (-8) = 13 (E)
Clue 2 (Percentages): "THE SNEAKY CULPRIT WEARS A RIGHT HANDED PATCH"
40% of 115 = 46 (T) · 10% of 430 = 43 (K) · 20% of 110 = 22 (E) · 50% of 106 = 53 (S) · 60% of 95 = 57 (Y) · 50% of 58 = 29 (H) · 10% of 210 = 21 (L) · 5% of 260 = 13 (C) · 50% of 12 = 6 (W) · 50% of 48 = 24 (R) · 25% of 236 = 59 (P) · 10% of 510 = 51 (N) · 50% of 60 = 30 (U) · 40% of 95 = 38 (I) · 20% of 260 = 52 (G) · 20% of 125 = 25 (D) · 10% of 110 = 11 (A)
Clue 3 (Order of operations): "AN AUTOMATIC FLASH BANG BLINDED THE AGENT"
60 + 6 × 6 = 96 (A) · 11 × 7 - 5 = 72 (B) · 46 + 2 × 6 = 58 (D) · 51 + 3 × 8 = 75 (F) · 39 + 8 × 3 = 63 (M) · 4 + 7 × 2 = 18 (T) · 14 + 2 × 6 = 26 (S) · 12 × 9 - 9 = 99 (U) · 4 × 9 - 9 = 27 (G) · 17 + 3 × 4 = 29 (L) · 7 × 12 - 5 = 79 (C) · 2 + 3 × 4 = 14 (I) · 10 × 11 - 22 = 88 (O) · 6 × 12 - 25 = 47 (N) · 84 + 6 × 6 = 120 (H) · 10 × 12 - 20 = 100 (E)
Clue 4 (Exponents): "WE DETECTED SMUDGES FROM AN AMBER VISOR"
4^2 = 16 (W) · 7^3 = 343 (A) · 19^2 = 361 (B) · 2^7 = 128 (C) · 17^2 = 289 (D) · 9^2 = 81 (T) · 10^2 = 100 (G) · 5^3 = 125 (F) · 2^2 = 4 (E) · 16^2 = 256 (R) · 12^2 = 144 (S) · 8^2 = 64 (M) · 20^2 = 400 (N) · 15^2 = 225 (U) · 13^2 = 169 (I) · 3^3 = 27 (O) · 11^2 = 121 (V)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 10) → Helen Sharman
5x + 9 = 44, x = 7 · 5x + 5 = 30, x = 5 · 5x + 7 = 37, x = 6 · 5x + 9 = 19, x = 2 · 4x + 6 = 42, x = 9 · 2x + 9 = 33, x = 12 · 4x + 11 = 15, x = 1 · 4x + 7 = 19, x = 3 · 5x + 12 = 52, x = 8 · 5x + 5 = 60, x = 11 · 3x + 11 = 23, x = 4

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 7 math
Math topics: Integers, Percentages, Order of operations, Exponents, Two-step equations
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: Crisis at Kepler Outpost — set in Kepler Outpost Prime
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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