⚾ BaseballGrade 7Reading: grades 5-6IntegersPercentagesOrder of operationsExponentsTwo-step equations

The Case of the Missing Golden Glove

Someone has swiped the legendary Golden Glove trophy right out of the display case at Grand Slam Stadium! The big championship game starts in just a few hours. We need to find the thief before they escape the ballpark with our prize.

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 Pitch	Lucky Charm	Batting Stance	Hair Color	Favorite Snack
Nolan Ryan	Changeup	Gold Chain	Right Handed	Black Hair	Sunflower Seeds
Mickey Mantle	Curveball	Dirty Cap	Right Handed	Black Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Ichiro Suzuki	Slider	Dirty Cap	Right Handed	Red Hair	Ballpark Nachos
Reggie Jackson	Fastball	Dirty Cap	Right Handed	Blonde Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Honus Wagner	Curveball	Lucky Bat	Left Handed	Blonde Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Yogi Berra	Fastball	Dirty Cap	Right Handed	Blonde Hair	Ballpark Nachos
Mookie Betts	Fastball	Dirty Cap	Left Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Satchel Paige	Knuckleball	Lucky Bat	Left Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Sandy Koufax	Slider	Pine Tar Jar	Left Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Ken Griffey	Fastball	Gold Chain	Right Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Pedro Martinez	Curveball	Lucky Bat	Left Handed	Black Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Ernie Banks	Slider	Gold Chain	Left Handed	Black Hair	Sunflower Seeds
Jackie Robinson	Knuckleball	Lucky Bat	Right Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Shohei Ohtani	Slider	Dirty Cap	Left Handed	Blonde Hair	Ballpark Nachos
Aaron Judge	Fastball	Autographed Ball	Left Handed	Black Hair	Ballpark Nachos
Willie Mays	Slider	Lucky Bat	Right Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Cy Young	Knuckleball	Autographed Ball	Right Handed	Black Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Cal Ripken	Knuckleball	Autographed Ball	Right Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Lou Gehrig	Changeup	Dirty Cap	Right Handed	Red Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Roberto Clemente	Slider	Dirty Cap	Left Handed	Black Hair	Roasted Peanuts
Mike Trout	Fastball	Pine Tar Jar	Right Handed	Blonde Hair	Roasted Peanuts

Clue 1

Integers

The bullpen radar gun recorded the change in wind speed during the theft. It went up and down by several units. Let us calculate the final integer value to reveal the first big 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.

(-5) + 26 =T

(-5) + 30 =L

12 - (-12) =O

(-2) + 15 =N

(-3) + 14 =I

18 - (-8) =G

2 - (-13) =W

(-14) + 28 =S

1 - (-7) =R

(-12) + 14 =C

(-8) + 38 =D

(-11) + 14 =H

17 - (-12) =F

(-3) + 22 =A

(-1) + 10 =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Percentages

The stadium scoreboard was flashing broken team batting averages as percentages. We need to find the correct decimal fraction to unlock the next piece of evidence.

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 55 =T

20% of 155 =W

10% of 200 =R

50% of 2 =E

50% of 10 =I

25% of 120 =S

5% of 560 =H

25% of 192 =L

5% of 180 =P

25% of 152 =U

25% of 220 =G

10% of 250 =O

25% of 92 =N

60% of 35 =A

50% of 30 =D

10% of 260 =C

50% of 68 =Y

0/17 letters found

Clue 3

Order of operations

We found a scrap of paper in the dugout with a long math equation of runs, hits, and errors. We must solve the operations in the exact right order to crack the 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.

106

114

102

100

102

100

108

102

108

114

10 × 9 - 22 =W

9 × 5 - 12 =R

4 × 9 - 1 =P

6 × 12 - 22 =A

8 × 8 - 16 =I

32 + 8 × 6 =F

11 × 7 - 7 =U

10 × 11 - 4 =O

10 × 12 - 6 =N

30 + 8 × 9 =S

12 × 9 - 8 =H

42 + 8 × 6 =M

11 × 10 - 17 =E

8 × 5 - 24 =T

45 + 9 × 7 =C

50 + 7 × 4 =L

10 × 6 - 14 =D

0/17 letters found

Clue 4

Exponents

The stadium lights are controlled by a power grid that multiplies exponentially. Calculating the total wattage power of the lights points us to a clue left in the dark.

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

343

121

243

216

289

144

196

169

361

144

128

361

144

216

196

216

361

169

361

5^2 =W

17^2 =B

2^7 =S

11^2 =O

14^2 =I

2^4 =D

3^3 =E

3^4 =L

2^2 =M

4^3 =G

6^3 =N

7^3 =F

13^2 =H

3^5 =U

12^2 =R

19^2 =T

2^5 =A

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

The concession stand manager has a puzzle. They sold a batch of baseballs for a set price, minus a discount, ending with a final balance. Solve this equation to find the last 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

6x + 4 = 52, x = ?

6x + 2 = 44, x = ?

4x + 10 = 54, x = ?

6x + 5 = 11, x = ?

5x + 1 = 26, x = ?

3x + 7 = 25, x = ?

4x + 3 = 43, x = ?

3x + 11 = 38, x = ?

6x + 9 = 27, x = ?

6x + 7 = 31, x = ?

3x + 3 = 9, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain hurls a ninety mile per hour fastball, then smears sticky pine tar on the locker.

2.The villain slides a perfect curveball, then smears sticky pine tar on the locker.

3.The villain throws a tricky knuckleball, then smears sticky pine tar on the locker.

4.The villain slides a perfect curveball, then polishes a shiny gold chain.

5.The villain slides a perfect curveball, then tugs on a lucky dirty cap.

6.The villain throws a tricky knuckleball, then tugs on a lucky dirty cap.

7.The villain throws a tricky knuckleball, then swings a custom maple bat.

8.The villain slides a perfect curveball, then swings a custom maple bat.

9.The villain hurls a ninety mile per hour fastball, then polishes a shiny gold chain.

10.The villain pitches a sneaky changeup, then smears sticky pine tar on the locker.

11.The villain launches a sharp breaking slider, then tugs on a lucky dirty cap.

12.The villain throws a tricky knuckleball, then clutches a signed babe ruth ball.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Case of the Missing Golden Glove

Culprit: Cal Ripken (Knuckleball · Autographed Ball · Right Handed · Red Hair · Roasted Peanuts)

Clue 1 (Integers): "THE THIEF DOES NOT WEAR A GOLD CHAIN"
(-5) + 26 = 21 (T) · (-5) + 30 = 25 (L) · 12 - (-12) = 24 (O) · (-2) + 15 = 13 (N) · (-3) + 14 = 11 (I) · 18 - (-8) = 26 (G) · 2 - (-13) = 15 (W) · (-14) + 28 = 14 (S) · 1 - (-7) = 8 (R) · (-12) + 14 = 2 (C) · (-8) + 38 = 30 (D) · (-11) + 14 = 3 (H) · 17 - (-12) = 29 (F) · (-3) + 22 = 19 (A) · (-1) + 10 = 9 (E)
Clue 2 (Percentages): "THE SUSPECT WRITES ONLY WITH THE RIGHT HAND"
60% of 55 = 33 (T) · 20% of 155 = 31 (W) · 10% of 200 = 20 (R) · 50% of 2 = 1 (E) · 50% of 10 = 5 (I) · 25% of 120 = 30 (S) · 5% of 560 = 28 (H) · 25% of 192 = 48 (L) · 5% of 180 = 9 (P) · 25% of 152 = 38 (U) · 25% of 220 = 55 (G) · 10% of 250 = 25 (O) · 25% of 92 = 23 (N) · 60% of 35 = 21 (A) · 50% of 30 = 15 (D) · 10% of 260 = 26 (C) · 50% of 68 = 34 (Y)
Clue 3 (Order of operations): "WE FOUND PEANUT SHELLS AT THE CRIME SCENE"
10 × 9 - 22 = 68 (W) · 9 × 5 - 12 = 33 (R) · 4 × 9 - 1 = 35 (P) · 6 × 12 - 22 = 50 (A) · 8 × 8 - 16 = 48 (I) · 32 + 8 × 6 = 80 (F) · 11 × 7 - 7 = 70 (U) · 10 × 11 - 4 = 106 (O) · 10 × 12 - 6 = 114 (N) · 30 + 8 × 9 = 102 (S) · 12 × 9 - 8 = 100 (H) · 42 + 8 × 6 = 90 (M) · 11 × 10 - 17 = 93 (E) · 8 × 5 - 24 = 16 (T) · 45 + 9 × 7 = 108 (C) · 50 + 7 × 4 = 78 (L) · 10 × 6 - 14 = 46 (D)
Clue 4 (Exponents): "WE FOUND A BRIGHT RED STRAND IN THE HELMET"
5^2 = 25 (W) · 17^2 = 289 (B) · 2^7 = 128 (S) · 11^2 = 121 (O) · 14^2 = 196 (I) · 2^4 = 16 (D) · 3^3 = 27 (E) · 3^4 = 81 (L) · 2^2 = 4 (M) · 4^3 = 64 (G) · 6^3 = 216 (N) · 7^3 = 343 (F) · 13^2 = 169 (H) · 3^5 = 243 (U) · 12^2 = 144 (R) · 19^2 = 361 (T) · 2^5 = 32 (A)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 12) → Cal Ripken
6x + 4 = 52, x = 8 · 6x + 2 = 44, x = 7 · 4x + 10 = 54, x = 11 · 6x + 5 = 11, x = 1 · 5x + 1 = 26, x = 5 · 3x + 7 = 25, x = 6 · 4x + 3 = 43, x = 10 · 3x + 11 = 38, x = 9 · 6x + 9 = 27, x = 3 · 6x + 7 = 31, x = 4 · 3x + 3 = 9, x = 2

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 7 math
Math topics: Integers, Percentages, Order of operations, Exponents, Two-step equations
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Case of the Missing Golden Glove — set in Grand Slam Stadium
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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