🔎 Symphony bass player did itGrade 9Reading: grades 7-9Two-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsIntegers

The Bassline Heist

The golden baton of the Maestro has vanished right before the opening night performance. Only a skilled bass player with access to the orchestra pit could have bypassed the security locks and pulled off this musical heist.

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 Instrument	Secondary Skill	Physical Habit	Stage Hairstyle	Sonic Dislike
Renaud Garcia Fons	electric upright	harpsichord tuning	taps right foot	tight ponytail	high pitch whistles
Giovanni Bottesini	slap bass	bow rehairing	taps right foot	messy bun	high pitch whistles
Ray Brown	five string bass	bridge adjusting	taps left foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Stanley Clarke	slap bass	rosin making	taps right foot	slicked back	drastic tempo changes
John Patitucci	electric upright	bridge adjusting	taps right foot	messy bun	high pitch whistles
Francois Rabbath	orchestral double bass	rosin making	taps left foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Serge Koussevitzky	electric upright	rosin making	taps left foot	slicked back	high pitch whistles
Dave Holland	slap bass	bridge adjusting	taps right foot	tight ponytail	high pitch whistles
Paul Chambers	jazz acoustic	rosin making	taps right foot	slicked back	drastic tempo changes
Richard Davis	orchestral double bass	harpsichord tuning	taps left foot	messy bun	high pitch whistles
Esperanza Spalding	five string bass	rosin making	taps left foot	tight ponytail	drastic tempo changes
Charlie Haden	slap bass	rosin making	taps left foot	tight ponytail	drastic tempo changes
Edgar Meyer	five string bass	bridge adjusting	taps right foot	tight ponytail	drastic tempo changes
Scott LaFaro	five string bass	bow rehairing	taps left foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Christian McBride	slap bass	harpsichord tuning	taps left foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Gary Karr	jazz acoustic	harpsichord tuning	taps right foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Ludwig Streicher	orchestral double bass	bridge adjusting	taps right foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Marcus Miller	jazz acoustic	bridge adjusting	taps left foot	messy bun	high pitch whistles
Domenico Dragonetti	electric upright	sheet music copying	taps right foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Charles Mingus	electric upright	harpsichord tuning	taps left foot	messy bun	drastic tempo changes
Victor Wooten	jazz acoustic	bow rehairing	taps right foot	tight ponytail	untuned piano keys

Clue 1

Two-step equations

The head usher has a crate of concert programs. After handing out equal batches to three balconies and keeping twelve for the archive, sixty programs remain. Solve this equation to find the secret locker bin number.

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

4x + 5 = 21, x =T

6x + 2 = 98, x =A

4x + 7 = 63, x =B

8x + 2 = 90, x =O

5x + 5 = 35, x =R

6x + 10 = 58, x =S

3x + 12 = 72, x =I

4x + 1 = 41, x =U

6x + 3 = 81, x =N

2x + 5 = 23, x =D

7x + 11 = 95, x =C

6x + 8 = 116, x =W

4x + 2 = 10, x =H

7x + 1 = 22, x =P

4x + 12 = 88, x =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Exponents

The bass amplifier volume doubles with every extra level on the dial. To find the correct frequency channel on the receiver, calculate the power output when two is raised to the sixth power.

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

256

343

441

512

100

256

169

484

361

343

256

729

256

343

100

343

256

484

256

2^8 =T

21^2 =G

19^2 =N

2^9 =U

2^5 =A

22^2 =O

3^3 =S

3^6 =P

9^2 =I

13^2 =Y

7^3 =E

2^2 =H

6^2 =F

10^2 =L

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Square roots

The percussion section is arranged in a perfect square grid on the center riser. The total area is one hundred forty-four square meters. Find the side length to unlock the equipment room gate.

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(16) =H

sqrt(25) =O

sqrt(289) =C

sqrt(49) =G

sqrt(196) =P

sqrt(225) =I

sqrt(144) =N

sqrt(576) =D

sqrt(361) =S

sqrt(169) =T

sqrt(100) =A

sqrt(81) =M

sqrt(64) =R

sqrt(324) =E

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Integers

The tuning device tracks pitch changes in cents. The needle dropped twelve cents, rose fifteen, and then dropped five. Solve for the final integer value to read the digital readout.

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 - (-11) =A

7 - (-4) =N

23 - (-10) =R

15 - (-15) =E

(-7) + 11 =D

(-12) + 32 =P

(-7) + 16 =Y

4 - (-10) =H

(-5) + 30 =B

(-2) + 23 =S

(-14) + 26 =I

(-13) + 52 =O

(-9) + 45 =W

(-11) + 37 =M

(-12) + 22 =U

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

The librarian needs to organize ninety music folders. She fills four large boxes and has ten folders left over. Solve for the capacity of each box to obtain the backstage entry code.

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

7x + 11 = 88, x = ?

7x + 1 = 36, x = ?

3x + 5 = 14, x = ?

9x + 8 = 89, x = ?

7x + 9 = 51, x = ?

8x + 2 = 18, x = ?

2x + 3 = 23, x = ?

8x + 10 = 106, x = ?

8x + 3 = 59, x = ?

9x + 7 = 79, x = ?

8x + 2 = 10, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain tunes the low E string, then scrambles the sheet music.

2.The villain hides behind the timpani, then swipes the golden baton.

3.The villain tunes the low E string, then swipes the golden baton.

4.The villain sneaks into the orchestra pit, then silences the metronome.

5.The villain unzips a padded instrument case, then mutes the conductor stand microphone.

6.The villain tunes the low E string, then unplugs the stage lights.

7.The villain unzips a padded instrument case, then swipes the golden baton.

8.The villain adjusts the bass amplifier, then mutes the conductor stand microphone.

9.The villain tunes the low E string, then mutes the conductor stand microphone.

10.The villain sneaks into the orchestra pit, then scrambles the sheet music.

11.The villain adjusts the bass amplifier, then swipes the golden baton.

12.The villain unzips a padded instrument case, then scrambles the sheet music.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Bassline Heist

Culprit: Francois Rabbath (orchestral double bass · rosin making · taps left foot · messy bun · drastic tempo changes)

Clue 1 (Two-step equations): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT REHAIR BOWS"
4x + 5 = 21, x = 4 (T) · 6x + 2 = 98, x = 16 (A) · 4x + 7 = 63, x = 14 (B) · 8x + 2 = 90, x = 11 (O) · 5x + 5 = 35, x = 6 (R) · 6x + 10 = 58, x = 8 (S) · 3x + 12 = 72, x = 20 (I) · 4x + 1 = 41, x = 10 (U) · 6x + 3 = 81, x = 13 (N) · 2x + 5 = 23, x = 9 (D) · 7x + 11 = 95, x = 12 (C) · 6x + 8 = 116, x = 18 (W) · 4x + 2 = 10, x = 2 (H) · 7x + 1 = 22, x = 3 (P) · 4x + 12 = 88, x = 19 (E)
Clue 2 (Exponents): "THE GUILTY ONE TAPS THE LEFT FOOT"
2^8 = 256 (T) · 21^2 = 441 (G) · 19^2 = 361 (N) · 2^9 = 512 (U) · 2^5 = 32 (A) · 22^2 = 484 (O) · 3^3 = 27 (S) · 3^6 = 729 (P) · 9^2 = 81 (I) · 13^2 = 169 (Y) · 7^3 = 343 (E) · 2^2 = 4 (H) · 6^2 = 36 (F) · 10^2 = 100 (L)
Clue 3 (Square roots): "HATES DRASTIC TEMPO CHANGES"
sqrt(16) = 4 (H) · sqrt(25) = 5 (O) · sqrt(289) = 17 (C) · sqrt(49) = 7 (G) · sqrt(196) = 14 (P) · sqrt(225) = 15 (I) · sqrt(144) = 12 (N) · sqrt(576) = 24 (D) · sqrt(361) = 19 (S) · sqrt(169) = 13 (T) · sqrt(100) = 10 (A) · sqrt(81) = 9 (M) · sqrt(64) = 8 (R) · sqrt(324) = 18 (E)
Clue 4 (Integers): "A MESSY BUN HAIR WAS DROPPED"
20 - (-11) = 31 (A) · 7 - (-4) = 11 (N) · 23 - (-10) = 33 (R) · 15 - (-15) = 30 (E) · (-7) + 11 = 4 (D) · (-12) + 32 = 20 (P) · (-7) + 16 = 9 (Y) · 4 - (-10) = 14 (H) · (-5) + 30 = 25 (B) · (-2) + 23 = 21 (S) · (-14) + 26 = 12 (I) · (-13) + 52 = 39 (O) · (-9) + 45 = 36 (W) · (-11) + 37 = 26 (M) · (-12) + 22 = 10 (U)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 4) → Francois Rabbath
7x + 11 = 88, x = 11 · 7x + 1 = 36, x = 5 · 3x + 5 = 14, x = 3 · 9x + 8 = 89, x = 9 · 7x + 9 = 51, x = 6 · 8x + 2 = 18, x = 2 · 2x + 3 = 23, x = 10 · 8x + 10 = 106, x = 12 · 8x + 3 = 59, x = 7 · 9x + 7 = 79, x = 8 · 8x + 2 = 10, x = 1

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 9 math
Math topics: Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Integers
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Bassline Heist — set in The Grand Metronome Concert Hall
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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