🏀 BasketballGrade 6Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationPercentagesExponentsOrder of operationsDivision

The All-Star Arena Heist

The Golden Ball trophy has vanished from the arena vault right before the final buzzer! A sneaky saboteur swapped the real trophy with a deflated basketball. The League Commissioner has locked the stadium down so the Kid Detectives can search the rosters and find 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	Signature Move	Lucky Gear	Shooting Hand	Hair Style	Defensive Weakness
Damian Lillard	Three Point Swish	Silver Grip Gloves	Right Handed	Dyed Neon Blue	Loud Crowd Noise
Domantas Sabonis	Monster Slam Dunk	Silver Grip Gloves	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Trae Young	Three Point Swish	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Left Handed	Curly Afro	Full Court Trap
Devin Booker	No Look Pass	Wireless Music Headphones	Left Handed	Curly Afro	Double Team Press
James Harden	No Look Pass	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Left Handed	Curly Afro	Double Team Press
Shai Gilgeous	Ankle Breaker Crossover	Wireless Music Headphones	Left Handed	Dyed Neon Blue	Loud Crowd Noise
Anthony Davis	Ankle Breaker Crossover	Glow In The Dark Socks	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Jaylen Brown	Fadeaway Jumper	Wireless Music Headphones	Left Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Double Team Press
DeAaron Fox	Fadeaway Jumper	High Bounce Wristband	Right Handed	Dyed Neon Blue	Full Court Trap
LeBron James	Fadeaway Jumper	Wireless Music Headphones	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Double Team Press
Kevin Durant	Ankle Breaker Crossover	High Bounce Wristband	Left Handed	Dyed Neon Blue	Double Team Press
Nikola Jokic	Monster Slam Dunk	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Chris Paul	No Look Pass	Glow In The Dark Socks	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Double Team Press
Jayson Tatum	Ankle Breaker Crossover	Glow In The Dark Socks	Right Handed	Curly Afro	Double Team Press
Luka Doncic	Fadeaway Jumper	High Bounce Wristband	Right Handed	Curly Afro	Loud Crowd Noise
Joel Embiid	Fadeaway Jumper	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Left Handed	Curly Afro	Full Court Trap
Stephen Curry	Ankle Breaker Crossover	Wireless Music Headphones	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Giannis Antetokounmpo	Fadeaway Jumper	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Right Handed	Curly Afro	Loud Crowd Noise
Ja Morant	Monster Slam Dunk	Glow In The Dark Socks	Right Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Paul George	Monster Slam Dunk	Silver Grip Gloves	Left Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise
Zion Williamson	Three Point Swish	Squeaky Golden Shoes	Left Handed	Sleek Buzz Cut	Loud Crowd Noise

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The court manager counts the rows of basketball racks inside the gym to see how many balls are missing. Multiply the racks by the balls per rack to decode the first clue.

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

7 × 7 =T

2 × 11 =L

2 × 12 =N

7 × 9 =D

10 × 7 =V

11 × 3 =G

10 × 9 =I

2 × 2 =H

5 × 11 =P

11 × 11 =A

9 × 11 =E

1 × 12 =R

3 × 2 =S

4 × 7 =W

8 × 9 =O

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Percentages

The arena stats screen flashes the overall free throw shooting accuracy. Work out the percentage of successful shots to unlock the second clue.

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

60% of 10 =T

75% of 44 =L

5% of 300 =D

50% of 20 =C

50% of 22 =O

10% of 190 =I

60% of 75 =A

10% of 50 =Y

5% of 780 =P

5% of 740 =E

75% of 32 =H

50% of 36 =S

75% of 16 =G

5% of 540 =R

5% of 140 =K

25% of 136 =U

20% of 105 =N

0/17 letters found

Clue 3

Exponents

The team tournament bracket doubles in size with every new round. Solve the exponential growth of the bracket to reveal the third clue.

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

100

121

125

256

361

125

100

256

121

225

169

324

256

225

243

225

343

169

256

125

10^2 =T

7^2 =F

3^4 =O

3^3 =U

13^2 =I

5^3 =E

18^2 =K

15^2 =R

4^4 =S

2^5 =D

7^3 =W

5^2 =L

11^2 =H

2^3 =C

3^2 =N

19^2 =P

3^5 =M

0/17 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

The scoreboard ticket machine calculates the total price of snacks, VIP passes, and fan discounts. Solve the multi-step formula to get the fourth clue.

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

8 + 7 × 3 =T

2 + 3 × 2 =G

13 + 6 × 8 =K

11 + 9 × 6 =S

59 + 2 × 2 =B

15 + 5 × 6 =L

5 × 11 - 6 =N

45 + 3 × 5 =I

6 × 7 - 8 =E

12 + 5 × 3 =C

51 + 2 × 9 =H

40 + 7 × 4 =V

28 + 5 × 9 =F

4 × 5 - 3 =D

7 + 7 × 4 =O

2 + 3 × 3 =R

3 × 8 - 12 =A

6 × 9 - 24 =Z

68 + 2 × 4 =U

0/19 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

The head coach divides the remaining practice cones evenly among the five starting players. Calculate the share of cones each player gets to reveal the final 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

24 ÷ 8 = ?

28 ÷ 7 = ?

77 ÷ 11 = ?

108 ÷ 12 = ?

25 ÷ 5 = ?

132 ÷ 12 = ?

132 ÷ 11 = ?

72 ÷ 12 = ?

40 ÷ 4 = ?

8 ÷ 4 = ?

10 ÷ 10 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain threw a sneaky no look pass to distract security, then bouncing high with a high bounce wristband.

2.The villain performed an ankle breaker crossover on a guard, then fumbling the ball with silver grip gloves.

3.The villain made a monster slam dunk over the main gate, then leaving prints with squeaky golden shoes.

4.The villain performed an ankle breaker crossover on a guard, then blasting tunes on wireless music headphones.

5.The villain made a monster slam dunk over the main gate, then fumbling the ball with silver grip gloves.

6.The villain made a monster slam dunk over the main gate, then blasting tunes on wireless music headphones.

7.The villain performed an ankle breaker crossover on a guard, then leaving a trail with glow in the dark socks.

8.The villain made a monster slam dunk over the main gate, then leaving a trail with glow in the dark socks.

9.The villain performed an ankle breaker crossover on a guard, then leaving prints with squeaky golden shoes.

10.The villain hit a wild three point swish to escape, then blasting tunes on wireless music headphones.

11.The villain shot a brilliant fadeaway jumper over the fence, then leaving prints with squeaky golden shoes.

12.The villain made a monster slam dunk over the main gate, then bouncing high with a high bounce wristband.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The All-Star Arena Heist

Culprit: Ja Morant (Monster Slam Dunk · Glow In The Dark Socks · Right Handed · Sleek Buzz Cut · Loud Crowd Noise)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT WEAR SILVER GRIP GLOVES"
7 × 7 = 49 (T) · 2 × 11 = 22 (L) · 2 × 12 = 24 (N) · 7 × 9 = 63 (D) · 10 × 7 = 70 (V) · 11 × 3 = 33 (G) · 10 × 9 = 90 (I) · 2 × 2 = 4 (H) · 5 × 11 = 55 (P) · 11 × 11 = 121 (A) · 9 × 11 = 99 (E) · 1 × 12 = 12 (R) · 3 × 2 = 6 (S) · 4 × 7 = 28 (W) · 8 × 9 = 72 (O)
Clue 2 (Percentages): "THE SNEAKY CULPRIT SHOOTS RIGHT HANDED"
60% of 10 = 6 (T) · 75% of 44 = 33 (L) · 5% of 300 = 15 (D) · 50% of 20 = 10 (C) · 50% of 22 = 11 (O) · 10% of 190 = 19 (I) · 60% of 75 = 45 (A) · 10% of 50 = 5 (Y) · 5% of 780 = 39 (P) · 5% of 740 = 37 (E) · 75% of 32 = 24 (H) · 50% of 36 = 18 (S) · 75% of 16 = 12 (G) · 5% of 540 = 27 (R) · 5% of 140 = 7 (K) · 25% of 136 = 34 (U) · 20% of 105 = 21 (N)
Clue 3 (Exponents): "THE SUSPECT SHRINKS FROM LOUD CROWD NOISE"
10^2 = 100 (T) · 7^2 = 49 (F) · 3^4 = 81 (O) · 3^3 = 27 (U) · 13^2 = 169 (I) · 5^3 = 125 (E) · 18^2 = 324 (K) · 15^2 = 225 (R) · 4^4 = 256 (S) · 2^5 = 32 (D) · 7^3 = 343 (W) · 5^2 = 25 (L) · 11^2 = 121 (H) · 2^3 = 8 (C) · 3^2 = 9 (N) · 19^2 = 361 (P) · 3^5 = 243 (M)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "THE INVESTIGATOR FOUND A SLEEK BUZZ CUT HAIR"
8 + 7 × 3 = 29 (T) · 2 + 3 × 2 = 8 (G) · 13 + 6 × 8 = 61 (K) · 11 + 9 × 6 = 65 (S) · 59 + 2 × 2 = 63 (B) · 15 + 5 × 6 = 45 (L) · 5 × 11 - 6 = 49 (N) · 45 + 3 × 5 = 60 (I) · 6 × 7 - 8 = 34 (E) · 12 + 5 × 3 = 27 (C) · 51 + 2 × 9 = 69 (H) · 40 + 7 × 4 = 68 (V) · 28 + 5 × 9 = 73 (F) · 4 × 5 - 3 = 17 (D) · 7 + 7 × 4 = 35 (O) · 2 + 3 × 3 = 11 (R) · 3 × 8 - 12 = 12 (A) · 6 × 9 - 24 = 30 (Z) · 68 + 2 × 4 = 76 (U)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 8) → Ja Morant
24 ÷ 8 = 3 · 28 ÷ 7 = 4 · 77 ÷ 11 = 7 · 108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 132 ÷ 12 = 11 · 132 ÷ 11 = 12 · 72 ÷ 12 = 6 · 40 ÷ 4 = 10 · 8 ÷ 4 = 2 · 10 ÷ 10 = 1

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 6 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Percentages, Exponents, Order of operations, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The All-Star Arena Heist — set in the All-Star Arena during the Championship Finals
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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