🚀 SpaceGrade 9Reading: grades 7-9Two-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsIntegers

Sabotage on Sector Nine

The primary star-mapping array on Sector Nine has been targeted! Someone scrambled the coordinates, pointing our telescopes directly into a blinding cosmic storm. If we do not restore the array soon, we will miss the trajectory of an incoming asteroid. The Chief Astronomer has tracked the override commands to the station's main mainframe, but the culprit has locked the terminal. We need your mathematical skill to solve these encrypted logs and identify the Saboteur before the asteroid strikes.

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	Tech Gear	Helmet Visor	Glove Grip	Helmet Stripe	Sensor Glitch
Charles Duke	Laser Pointer	Infra Red	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals
Neil Armstrong	Plasma Cutter	Infra Red	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals
Edgar Mitchell	Hacker Deck	Neon Grid	Left Handed	Astro Blue	Ice Crystals
Buzz Aldrin	Plasma Cutter	Solar Glass	Left Handed	Neon Orange	Magnetic Fields
Michael Collins	Sonic Wrench	Neon Grid	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Magnetic Fields
Jack Swigert	Gravity Boots	Neon Grid	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Solar Flares
Chris Hadfield	Sonic Wrench	Neon Grid	Right Handed	Cyber Green	Magnetic Fields
Peggy Whitson	Gravity Boots	Infra Red	Right Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals
David Scott	Gravity Boots	Neon Grid	Right Handed	Neon Orange	Solar Flares
Fred Haise	Sonic Wrench	Dark Shield	Left Handed	Neon Orange	Solar Flares
Guion Bluford	Plasma Cutter	Dark Shield	Left Handed	Neon Orange	Ice Crystals
Gene Cernan	Sonic Wrench	Gold Tint	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals
Pete Conrad	Sonic Wrench	Gold Tint	Left Handed	Neon Orange	Ice Crystals
Alan Shepard	Laser Pointer	Neon Grid	Left Handed	Astro Blue	Magnetic Fields
John Glenn	Sonic Wrench	Dark Shield	Right Handed	Neon Orange	Ice Crystals
John Young	Hacker Deck	Dark Shield	Right Handed	Neon Orange	Magnetic Fields
Harrison Schmitt	Plasma Cutter	Dark Shield	Right Handed	Neon Orange	Solar Flares
Yuri Gagarin	Gravity Boots	Dark Shield	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals
Valentina Tereshkova	Hacker Deck	Gold Tint	Right Handed	Astro Blue	Ice Crystals
Jim Lovell	Hacker Deck	Dark Shield	Right Handed	Astro Blue	Magnetic Fields
Mae Jemison	Laser Pointer	Gold Tint	Left Handed	Cyber Green	Ice Crystals

Clue 1

Two-step equations

We found a locked console displaying two unknown fuel canister weights. To bypass the lockout, we must solve for the missing weight variable using the station's balance 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.

6x + 2 = 56, x =T

2x + 6 = 40, x =U

5x + 9 = 49, x =K

3x + 2 = 47, x =L

8x + 7 = 47, x =O

4x + 12 = 28, x =B

3x + 2 = 8, x =E

8x + 10 = 138, x =N

3x + 11 = 44, x =D

4x + 7 = 35, x =R

6x + 6 = 138, x =A

3x + 11 = 50, x =I

3x + 3 = 63, x =W

8x + 9 = 33, x =S

7x + 10 = 52, x =H

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Exponents

A strange radiation flare is multiplying rapidly in the lower deck, doubling every ten seconds. By calculating the total flare output using exponents, we can recover the next data packet.

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

400

100

441

100

225

400

243

100

125

441

289

169

100

343

100

324

100

400

100

128

400

289

243

20^2 =T

15^2 =F

2^2 =H

3^3 =P

6^2 =B

21^2 =L

7^3 =R

5^3 =G

17^2 =O

3^5 =N

2^7 =U

10^2 =E

18^2 =S

2^3 =A

3^4 =D

13^2 =V

0/16 letters found

Clue 3

Square roots

The emergency solar grid has been partially isolated. The mainframe tells us the total area of the square solar field, but we must use square roots to find the length of the side cables.

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

sqrt(529) =I

sqrt(324) =R

sqrt(196) =L

sqrt(9) =H

sqrt(256) =S

sqrt(441) =T

sqrt(100) =Y

sqrt(484) =A

sqrt(36) =E

sqrt(400) =C

sqrt(4) =U

sqrt(25) =O

0/12 letters found

Clue 4

Integers

The station's external temperature sensors are fluctuating wildly below zero as we pass behind the planet's shadow. We need to sum up these positive and negative temperature integers to reveal the next security code.

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

20 - (-7) =C

(-2) + 23 =L

(-4) + 10 =A

(-2) + 13 =D

(-13) + 39 =E

(-1) + 18 =G

3 - (-1) =F

(-14) + 17 =T

9 - (-15) =O

25 - (-13) =Y

(-10) + 35 =R

28 - (-9) =U

6 - (-3) =S

17 - (-15) =I

15 - (-8) =N

(-14) + 34 =B

(-13) + 48 =P

9 - (-7) =W

0/18 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

The emergency backup battery is draining at a steady rate plus a constant system baseline. Solve this two-step rate equation to find exactly how much power remains in the security log.

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

8x + 12 = 60, x = ?

8x + 4 = 12, x = ?

9x + 9 = 36, x = ?

2x + 9 = 19, x = ?

3x + 4 = 10, x = ?

7x + 1 = 50, x = ?

3x + 10 = 43, x = ?

6x + 2 = 50, x = ?

3x + 9 = 21, x = ?

6x + 7 = 67, x = ?

3x + 2 = 38, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain overloaded the core reactor, then hid in the engine room.

2.The villain locked the airlock doors, then stole the star maps.

3.The villain locked the airlock doors, then escaped in a pod.

4.The villain disabled the oxygen valves, then hid in the engine room.

5.The villain scrambled the navigation logs, then hid in the engine room.

6.The villain jammed the radar dishes, then escaped in a pod.

7.The villain locked the airlock doors, then corrupted the hard drives.

8.The villain disabled the oxygen valves, then cut the communication wire.

9.The villain jammed the radar dishes, then hid in the engine room.

10.The villain jammed the radar dishes, then cut the communication wire.

11.The villain jammed the radar dishes, then corrupted the hard drives.

12.The villain scrambled the navigation logs, then cut the communication wire.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — Sabotage on Sector Nine

Culprit: Charles Duke (Laser Pointer · Infra Red · Left Handed · Cyber Green · Ice Crystals)

Clue 1 (Two-step equations): "THE SABOTEUR DOES NOT WEAR A DARK SHIELD"
6x + 2 = 56, x = 9 (T) · 2x + 6 = 40, x = 17 (U) · 5x + 9 = 49, x = 8 (K) · 3x + 2 = 47, x = 15 (L) · 8x + 7 = 47, x = 5 (O) · 4x + 12 = 28, x = 4 (B) · 3x + 2 = 8, x = 2 (E) · 8x + 10 = 138, x = 16 (N) · 3x + 11 = 44, x = 11 (D) · 4x + 7 = 35, x = 7 (R) · 6x + 6 = 138, x = 22 (A) · 3x + 11 = 50, x = 13 (I) · 3x + 3 = 63, x = 20 (W) · 8x + 9 = 33, x = 3 (S) · 7x + 10 = 52, x = 6 (H)
Clue 2 (Exponents): "THE LEFT HANDED GLOVE PRESSED THE BUTTON"
20^2 = 400 (T) · 15^2 = 225 (F) · 2^2 = 4 (H) · 3^3 = 27 (P) · 6^2 = 36 (B) · 21^2 = 441 (L) · 7^3 = 343 (R) · 5^3 = 125 (G) · 17^2 = 289 (O) · 3^5 = 243 (N) · 2^7 = 128 (U) · 10^2 = 100 (E) · 18^2 = 324 (S) · 2^3 = 8 (A) · 3^4 = 81 (D) · 13^2 = 169 (V)
Clue 3 (Square roots): "ICE CRYSTALS SHORT OUT THEIR CIRCUITS"
sqrt(529) = 23 (I) · sqrt(324) = 18 (R) · sqrt(196) = 14 (L) · sqrt(9) = 3 (H) · sqrt(256) = 16 (S) · sqrt(441) = 21 (T) · sqrt(100) = 10 (Y) · sqrt(484) = 22 (A) · sqrt(36) = 6 (E) · sqrt(400) = 20 (C) · sqrt(4) = 2 (U) · sqrt(25) = 5 (O)
Clue 4 (Integers): "CYBER GREEN PARTICLES WERE FOUND NEARBY"
20 - (-7) = 27 (C) · (-2) + 23 = 21 (L) · (-4) + 10 = 6 (A) · (-2) + 13 = 11 (D) · (-13) + 39 = 26 (E) · (-1) + 18 = 17 (G) · 3 - (-1) = 4 (F) · (-14) + 17 = 3 (T) · 9 - (-15) = 24 (O) · 25 - (-13) = 38 (Y) · (-10) + 35 = 25 (R) · 28 - (-9) = 37 (U) · 6 - (-3) = 9 (S) · 17 - (-15) = 32 (I) · 15 - (-8) = 23 (N) · (-14) + 34 = 20 (B) · (-13) + 48 = 35 (P) · 9 - (-7) = 16 (W)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 9) → Charles Duke
8x + 12 = 60, x = 6 · 8x + 4 = 12, x = 1 · 9x + 9 = 36, x = 3 · 2x + 9 = 19, x = 5 · 3x + 4 = 10, x = 2 · 7x + 1 = 50, x = 7 · 3x + 10 = 43, x = 11 · 6x + 2 = 50, x = 8 · 3x + 9 = 21, x = 4 · 6x + 7 = 67, x = 10 · 3x + 2 = 38, x = 12

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 9 math
Math topics: Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Integers
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: Sabotage on Sector Nine — set in The Astro-Dome orbital research station
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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