🦕 DinosaursGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Case of the Bone Bandit

Last night someone snuck into Thunder Ridge Dinosaur Park and carried off the Park Keeper, along with a crate of rare fossils. The only clues left behind are muddy tracks, a few loose scales, and a tipped over bone shelf. It is up to you to follow the trail and catch the Bone Bandit.

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	Dino Type	Special Trick	Witness Saw	Scale Color	Scared Off By
Twiggy	Stegosaurus	stomps the ground hard	girl	blue scales	cold water
Echo	Stegosaurus	swishes a spiky tail	boy	green scales	cold water
Stomper	Velociraptor	stomps the ground hard	boy	green scales	bright lights
Spike	Velociraptor	stomps the ground hard	girl	brown scales	cold water
Fang	Velociraptor	swishes a spiky tail	boy	green scales	bright lights
Boulder	Triceratops	swishes a spiky tail	boy	brown scales	bright lights
Dottie	Velociraptor	roars super loud	boy	blue scales	bright lights
Bronto	Velociraptor	stomps the ground hard	boy	brown scales	bright lights
Scaler	Tyrannosaurus	roars super loud	girl	brown scales	bright lights
Crunch	Velociraptor	roars super loud	boy	brown scales	loud thunder
Sandy	Stegosaurus	snaps strong jaws	boy	green scales	cold water
Ridge	Triceratops	stomps the ground hard	boy	blue scales	bright lights
Rex	Stegosaurus	swishes a spiky tail	girl	blue scales	cold water
Trixie	Triceratops	roars super loud	girl	green scales	bright lights
Tiny	Velociraptor	roars super loud	boy	green scales	bright lights
Pebble	Pterodactyl	swishes a spiky tail	boy	green scales	loud thunder
Dasher	Stegosaurus	swishes a spiky tail	girl	brown scales	cold water
Ziggy	Velociraptor	roars super loud	girl	green scales	bright lights
Petra	Tyrannosaurus	glides on wide wings	girl	brown scales	bright lights
Bumpy	Pterodactyl	stomps the ground hard	boy	green scales	bright lights
Gobble	Tyrannosaurus	glides on wide wings	boy	green scales	bright lights

Clue 1

Rounding

The park's old tracking screen only shows big rounded numbers, never the exact ones. You round off each dino size to start your list of suspects.

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

7000

3000

800

700

400

200

700

200

500

300

400

700

4000

3000

500

2000

700

300

900

Round 79 to the nearest tenT

Round 7,241 to the nearest thousandH

Round 2,079 to the nearest thousandW

Round 369 to the nearest hundredL

Round 796 to the nearest hundredV

Round 537 to the nearest hundredO

Round 18 to the nearest tenN

Round 3,442 to the nearest thousandE

Round 292 to the nearest hundredG

Round 652 to the nearest hundredI

Round 205 to the nearest hundredA

Round 62 to the nearest tenC

Round 4,227 to the nearest thousandD

Round 940 to the nearest hundredS

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

Muddy footprints lead from the front gate to the bone shed. You count the prints in each puddle and add them up to follow the trail.

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

897

600

436

589

432

897

362

436

669

905

589

905

940

471

679

476

432

362

471

669

905

653

870

292 + 605 =T

465 + 204 =S

230 + 449 =Y

172 + 264 =E

273 + 327 =H

183 + 179 =N

468 + 402 =R

352 + 237 =W

175 + 257 =I

277 + 199 =D

372 + 533 =A

275 + 378 =U

653 + 287 =B

269 + 202 =O

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

The bone shelf is missing pieces. You count how many bones should be there, then subtract the ones still left to learn what the bandit grabbed.

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

113

867

555

113

784

474

398

477

113

784

495

474

542

191

278

403

514

542

191

198

357

784

542

867

198

191

214

542

867

198

191

398

199 - 86 =A

865 - 351 =W

299 - 21 =O

825 - 330 =E

298 - 100 =H

1005 - 138 =G

649 - 292 =B

319 - 128 =T

907 - 365 =I

814 - 337 =C

520 - 46 =D

892 - 108 =R

807 - 252 =U

566 - 352 =L

535 - 132 =F

554 - 156 =S

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

Fossil crates sit in neat rows in the storeroom. You count the rows and how many crates are in each to figure out how many the bandit could carry.

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

108

132

2 × 8 =A

9 × 5 =T

3 × 11 =B

4 × 11 =Y

2 × 10 =N

3 × 1 =S

9 × 9 =L

7 × 8 =O

7 × 7 =E

1 × 12 =G

8 × 12 =F

11 × 12 =W

5 × 3 =H

8 × 1 =D

12 × 9 =C

8 × 10 =R

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

You and the park rangers split the search map into equal patches. Sharing it out evenly points you straight to the last hiding spot.

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 = ?

72 ÷ 12 = ?

36 ÷ 9 = ?

81 ÷ 9 = ?

10 ÷ 10 = ?

33 ÷ 3 = ?

24 ÷ 2 = ?

16 ÷ 8 = ?

56 ÷ 7 = ?

7 ÷ 1 = ?

25 ÷ 5 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain swoops down from the sky, then glides out through the high window.

2.The villain thunders in on huge legs, then snaps at the locks until they break.

3.The villain darts in quick and sneaky, then lets out a roar that shakes the windows.

4.The villain darts in quick and sneaky, then knocks over crates with its tail.

5.The villain swoops down from the sky, then snaps at the locks until they break.

6.The villain darts in quick and sneaky, then stomps so hard the floor cracks.

7.The villain lumbers up with bony plates, then lets out a roar that shakes the windows.

8.The villain thunders in on huge legs, then stomps so hard the floor cracks.

9.The villain darts in quick and sneaky, then snaps at the locks until they break.

10.The villain swoops down from the sky, then stomps so hard the floor cracks.

11.The villain lumbers up with bony plates, then snaps at the locks until they break.

12.The villain thunders in on huge legs, then glides out through the high window.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Case of the Bone Bandit

Culprit: Bumpy (Pterodactyl · stomps the ground hard · boy · green scales · bright lights)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT GLIDE ON WINGS"
Round 79 to the nearest ten = 80 (T) · Round 7,241 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (H) · Round 2,079 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (W) · Round 369 to the nearest hundred = 400 (L) · Round 796 to the nearest hundred = 800 (V) · Round 537 to the nearest hundred = 500 (O) · Round 18 to the nearest ten = 20 (N) · Round 3,442 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (E) · Round 292 to the nearest hundred = 300 (G) · Round 652 to the nearest hundred = 700 (I) · Round 205 to the nearest hundred = 200 (A) · Round 62 to the nearest ten = 60 (C) · Round 4,227 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (D) · Round 940 to the nearest hundred = 900 (S)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE WITNESS SAW A BOY DINOSAUR"
292 + 605 = 897 (T) · 465 + 204 = 669 (S) · 230 + 449 = 679 (Y) · 172 + 264 = 436 (E) · 273 + 327 = 600 (H) · 183 + 179 = 362 (N) · 468 + 402 = 870 (R) · 352 + 237 = 589 (W) · 175 + 257 = 432 (I) · 277 + 199 = 476 (D) · 372 + 533 = 905 (A) · 275 + 378 = 653 (U) · 653 + 287 = 940 (B) · 269 + 202 = 471 (O)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "A GUARD SCARED IT OFF WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS"
199 - 86 = 113 (A) · 865 - 351 = 514 (W) · 299 - 21 = 278 (O) · 825 - 330 = 495 (E) · 298 - 100 = 198 (H) · 1005 - 138 = 867 (G) · 649 - 292 = 357 (B) · 319 - 128 = 191 (T) · 907 - 365 = 542 (I) · 814 - 337 = 477 (C) · 520 - 46 = 474 (D) · 892 - 108 = 784 (R) · 807 - 252 = 555 (U) · 566 - 352 = 214 (L) · 535 - 132 = 403 (F) · 554 - 156 = 398 (S)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "A GREEN SCALE WAS LEFT BY THE DOOR"
2 × 8 = 16 (A) · 9 × 5 = 45 (T) · 3 × 11 = 33 (B) · 4 × 11 = 44 (Y) · 2 × 10 = 20 (N) · 3 × 1 = 3 (S) · 9 × 9 = 81 (L) · 7 × 8 = 56 (O) · 7 × 7 = 49 (E) · 1 × 12 = 12 (G) · 8 × 12 = 96 (F) · 11 × 12 = 132 (W) · 5 × 3 = 15 (H) · 8 × 1 = 8 (D) · 12 × 9 = 108 (C) · 8 × 10 = 80 (R)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 10) → Bumpy
24 ÷ 8 = 3 · 72 ÷ 12 = 6 · 36 ÷ 9 = 4 · 81 ÷ 9 = 9 · 10 ÷ 10 = 1 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12 · 16 ÷ 8 = 2 · 56 ÷ 7 = 8 · 7 ÷ 1 = 7 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 3 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Case of the Bone Bandit — set in Thunder Ridge Dinosaur Park
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects