Grade 4Reading: grades 3-4Place valueRoundingAdditionSubtractionDivision
The Case of the Lost Golden Compass
The Golden Compass has vanished from the Explorer Club! A sneaky bandit swiped it right before the big map reveal. Follow the trails and solve the math puzzles to catch 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 | Explorer Gear | Escape Tool | Footprint Type | Strand of Hair | Camp Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leo | super flashlight | sticky boots | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | loud noise |
| Jack | super flashlight | grappling line | wears clean sneakers | straight black hair | bright light |
| Finn | super flashlight | smoke bomb | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Sam | sonar map | net trap | wears muddy boots | spiky red hair | loud noise |
| Chloe | jungle machete | decoder ring | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Grace | speedy glider | net trap | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Owen | speedy glider | grappling line | wears muddy boots | curly brown hair | sticky honey |
| Emma | super flashlight | smoke bomb | wears clean sneakers | straight black hair | bright light |
| Ruby | super flashlight | decoder ring | wears clean sneakers | straight black hair | bright light |
| Ava | climbing hook | sticky boots | wears muddy boots | curly brown hair | loud noise |
| Toby | climbing hook | grappling line | wears clean sneakers | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Lara | climbing hook | net trap | wears clean sneakers | curly brown hair | sticky honey |
| Zack | speedy glider | net trap | wears muddy boots | spiky red hair | loud noise |
| Zoe | super flashlight | decoder ring | wears clean sneakers | spiky red hair | loud noise |
| Noah | jungle machete | smoke bomb | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Ella | sonar map | smoke bomb | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | sticky honey |
| Maya | climbing hook | sticky boots | wears muddy boots | curly brown hair | bright light |
| Mia | jungle machete | grappling line | wears muddy boots | curly brown hair | loud noise |
| Lily | climbing hook | decoder ring | wears muddy boots | straight black hair | loud noise |
| Sophia | jungle machete | smoke bomb | wears clean sneakers | spiky red hair | loud noise |
| Indiana | climbing hook | grappling line | wears clean sneakers | spiky red hair | loud noise |
Clue 1
Place value
We found a locked chest on the beach. The security code uses the value of the hundreds digit from our coin count.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
50
6000
200
100
20
900
9000
300
T
50
9000
400
200
70
900
400
T
50
3000
70
200
20
9000
200
5000
400
9000
200
10
10
300
900
40
What is the value of the 5 in 254?T
What is the value of the 6 in 6,800?H
What is the value of the 4 in 241?G
What is the value of the 1 in 8,710?R
What is the value of the 9 in 4,923?N
What is the value of the 2 in 6,217?E
What is the value of the 3 in 5,397?I
What is the value of the 5 in 15,419?C
What is the value of the 9 in 9,128?D
What is the value of the 3 in 53,544?U
What is the value of the 1 in 149?B
What is the value of the 2 in 4,124?A
What is the value of the 4 in 461?O
What is the value of the 7 in 173?S
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The scout radar screen shows the bandit's trail, but it only displays numbers rounded to the nearest ten.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
430
7000
20
2900
700
700
T
430
30
3000
50
170
T
430
2000
2000
7000
700
4300
900
90
290
290
200
5000
700
700
T
430
2000
Round 428 to the nearest tenT
Round 223 to the nearest hundredY
Round 24 to the nearest tenE
Round 168 to the nearest tenN
Round 2,078 to the nearest thousandS
Round 5,294 to the nearest thousandB
Round 7,178 to the nearest thousandH
Round 867 to the nearest hundredM
Round 737 to the nearest hundredO
Round 286 to the nearest tenD
Round 2,849 to the nearest thousandR
Round 4,270 to the nearest hundredW
Round 50 to the nearest tenI
Round 2,948 to the nearest hundredF
Round 31 to the nearest tenP
Round 86 to the nearest tenU
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Addition
To cross the rope bridge safely, we must add up the weights of all our supply packs.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
4879
6974
5049
9672
3843
3567
4797
4292
T
4879
3821
2370
4292
7272
7272
5049
4797
9222
3567
3821
T
4879
4292
4880
6794
3963
6974
9222
3567
5049
3963
2739 + 2140 =T
2839 + 1453 =I
2873 + 1924 =D
2131 + 1832 =Y
724 + 1646 =L
3492 + 1557 =E
2127 + 1716 =A
2805 + 6417 =O
1983 + 2897 =C
2218 + 1603 =S
3368 + 3904 =P
4259 + 2715 =H
4877 + 4795 =B
2117 + 1450 =N
4121 + 2673 =K
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Subtraction
The bandit dropped a heavy bag of stolen gems. We must subtract the ones we recovered to see how many are left.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
7240
5486
7152
2992
7987
5117
4084
1828
4681
6284
4522
1828
4901
2814
2673
6284
1954
4944
1828
5658
4234
2673
1828
4901
4522
9110 - 1870 =W
5641 - 740 =I
6662 - 2428 =K
8287 - 2629 =C
2940 - 126 =G
2944 - 1116 =A
9434 - 4912 =R
8119 - 2633 =E
4406 - 2452 =B
6222 - 3549 =H
11940 - 3953 =U
8974 - 2690 =T
4311 - 1319 =O
9203 - 4086 =N
7711 - 2767 =L
10610 - 3458 =F
8165 - 4081 =D
9086 - 4405 =S
0/18 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We need to share our emergency jungle bananas equally among our rescue teams before we go any further.
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
30 ÷ 10 = ?
108 ÷ 12 = ?
5 ÷ 1 = ?
108 ÷ 9 = ?
8 ÷ 1 = ?
16 ÷ 4 = ?
77 ÷ 7 = ?
2 ÷ 1 = ?
84 ÷ 12 = ?
72 ÷ 12 = ?
120 ÷ 12 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain lit up the dark cave with a super flashlight, then escaped behind a thick cloud from a smoke bomb.
2.The villain lit up the dark cave with a super flashlight, then zipped up the high stone wall using a grappling line.
3.The villain zoomed off the cliff on a speedy glider, then blocked the trail behind them with a net trap.
4.The villain swung across the canyon with a climbing hook, then blocked the trail behind them with a net trap.
5.The villain chopped through the thick vines with a jungle machete, then escaped behind a thick cloud from a smoke bomb.
6.The villain zoomed off the cliff on a speedy glider, then zipped up the high stone wall using a grappling line.
7.The villain zoomed off the cliff on a speedy glider, then unlocked the ancient chest with a decoder ring.
8.The villain chopped through the thick vines with a jungle machete, then zipped up the high stone wall using a grappling line.
9.The villain tracked the secret path with a sonar map, then escaped behind a thick cloud from a smoke bomb.
10.The villain chopped through the thick vines with a jungle machete, then unlocked the ancient chest with a decoder ring.
11.The villain chopped through the thick vines with a jungle machete, then scrambled up the wet cave wall using sticky boots.
12.The villain swung across the canyon with a climbing hook, then unlocked the ancient chest with a decoder ring.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Lost Golden Compass
Culprit: Finn (super flashlight · smoke bomb · wears muddy boots · straight black hair · sticky honey)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A DECODER RING"What is the value of the 5 in 254? = 50 (T) · What is the value of the 6 in 6,800? = 6000 (H) · What is the value of the 4 in 241? = 40 (G) · What is the value of the 1 in 8,710? = 10 (R) · What is the value of the 9 in 4,923? = 900 (N) · What is the value of the 2 in 6,217? = 200 (E) · What is the value of the 3 in 5,397? = 300 (I) · What is the value of the 5 in 15,419? = 5000 (C) · What is the value of the 9 in 9,128? = 9000 (D) · What is the value of the 3 in 53,544? = 3000 (U) · What is the value of the 1 in 149? = 100 (B) · What is the value of the 2 in 4,124? = 20 (A) · What is the value of the 4 in 461? = 400 (O) · What is the value of the 7 in 173? = 70 (S)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE FOOTPRINTS SHOW MUDDY BOOTS"Round 428 to the nearest ten = 430 (T) · Round 223 to the nearest hundred = 200 (Y) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (E) · Round 168 to the nearest ten = 170 (N) · Round 2,078 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (S) · Round 5,294 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (B) · Round 7,178 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (H) · Round 867 to the nearest hundred = 900 (M) · Round 737 to the nearest hundred = 700 (O) · Round 286 to the nearest ten = 290 (D) · Round 2,849 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (R) · Round 4,270 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (W) · Round 50 to the nearest ten = 50 (I) · Round 2,948 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (F) · Round 31 to the nearest ten = 30 (P) · Round 86 to the nearest ten = 90 (U)
- Clue 3 (Addition): "THE BANDIT SLIPPED ON STICKY HONEY"2739 + 2140 = 4879 (T) · 2839 + 1453 = 4292 (I) · 2873 + 1924 = 4797 (D) · 2131 + 1832 = 3963 (Y) · 724 + 1646 = 2370 (L) · 3492 + 1557 = 5049 (E) · 2127 + 1716 = 3843 (A) · 2805 + 6417 = 9222 (O) · 1983 + 2897 = 4880 (C) · 2218 + 1603 = 3821 (S) · 3368 + 3904 = 7272 (P) · 4259 + 2715 = 6974 (H) · 4877 + 4795 = 9672 (B) · 2117 + 1450 = 3567 (N) · 4121 + 2673 = 6794 (K)
- Clue 4 (Subtraction): "WE FOUND A STRAIGHT BLACK HAIR"9110 - 1870 = 7240 (W) · 5641 - 740 = 4901 (I) · 6662 - 2428 = 4234 (K) · 8287 - 2629 = 5658 (C) · 2940 - 126 = 2814 (G) · 2944 - 1116 = 1828 (A) · 9434 - 4912 = 4522 (R) · 8119 - 2633 = 5486 (E) · 4406 - 2452 = 1954 (B) · 6222 - 3549 = 2673 (H) · 11940 - 3953 = 7987 (U) · 8974 - 2690 = 6284 (T) · 4311 - 1319 = 2992 (O) · 9203 - 4086 = 5117 (N) · 7711 - 2767 = 4944 (L) · 10610 - 3458 = 7152 (F) · 8165 - 4081 = 4084 (D) · 9086 - 4405 = 4681 (S)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 1) → Finn30 ÷ 10 = 3 · 108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 5 ÷ 1 = 5 · 108 ÷ 9 = 12 · 8 ÷ 1 = 8 · 16 ÷ 4 = 4 · 77 ÷ 7 = 11 · 2 ÷ 1 = 2 · 84 ÷ 12 = 7 · 72 ÷ 12 = 6 · 120 ÷ 12 = 10
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Lost Golden Compass — set in Skull Rock Island
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects