The Case of the Missing Moonstone
A rare glowing moonstone has been stolen from the station museum! The Space Patrol needs your help to catch the Space Thief before they warp away.
Possible suspects
Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.
| Name | Space Gear | Spaceship Tool | Oxygen Tank Meter | Spacesuit Helmet Color | Orbital Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Peake | Laser Welder | Solar Driller | Glowing Blue Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Kalpana Chawla | Plasma Shield | Photon Blaster | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Peggy Whitson | Plasma Shield | Cargo Magnet | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Alexei Leonov | Laser Welder | Cosmic Scanner | Glowing Blue Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Charles Bolden | Plasma Shield | Photon Blaster | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Strong Magnetic Field |
| Chris Hadfield | Stellar Compass | Solar Driller | Blinking Green Light | Neon Orange Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Ed White | Jetpack Harness | Cargo Magnet | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Gennady Padalka | Plasma Shield | Photon Blaster | Glowing Blue Light | Neon Orange Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Guion Bluford | Laser Welder | Cargo Magnet | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Christina Koch | Jetpack Harness | Asteroid Grabber | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Alan Shepard | Jetpack Harness | Solar Driller | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Roberta Bondar | Plasma Shield | Photon Blaster | Blinking Green Light | Neon Orange Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Scott Kelly | Stellar Compass | Cosmic Scanner | Blinking Green Light | Neon Orange Helmet | Strong Magnetic Field |
| Jim Lovell | Laser Welder | Asteroid Grabber | Blinking Green Light | Neon Orange Helmet | Strong Magnetic Field |
| Buzz Aldrin | Stellar Compass | Asteroid Grabber | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Valentina Tereshkova | Stellar Compass | Cargo Magnet | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Neil Armstrong | Stellar Compass | Photon Blaster | Glowing Blue Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Freezing Shadow Zone |
| Yuri Gagarin | Stellar Compass | Photon Blaster | Blinking Green Light | Bright Yellow Helmet | Strong Magnetic Field |
| Sunita Williams | Jetpack Harness | Cargo Magnet | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Ellen Ochoa | Laser Welder | Cosmic Scanner | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Thick Moon Dust |
| Michael Collins | Gravity Boots | Cosmic Scanner | Blinking Green Light | Silver Chrome Helmet | Strong Magnetic Field |
Percentages
The museum door has a digital lock. It shows what percentage of power is left in the backup battery. Solve the math to unlock the door and find a 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.
Exponents
A computer screen in the control room is blinking. It shows security code patterns written in exponents. Work out the numbers to read the security log.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Order of operations
The thief left a trail of footprints. To find out which way they went, we must solve these multi-step math problems in the exact right order.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We found some dropped cargo crates in the hangar. They are stacked in equal rows. Multiply the rows to count the crates and find the hidden note inside.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The starship fuel cells must be shared equally among the emergency engines. Divide the fuel canisters to power up our radar and locate the thief.
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!
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Missing Moonstone
- Clue 1 (Percentages): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE THE GRABBER"5% of 400 = 20 (T) · 20% of 155 = 31 (L) · 25% of 56 = 14 (N) · 50% of 42 = 21 (I) · 10% of 70 = 7 (B) · 60% of 40 = 24 (V) · 50% of 90 = 45 (D) · 10% of 90 = 9 (O) · 20% of 110 = 22 (S) · 10% of 10 = 1 (U) · 25% of 152 = 38 (E) · 5% of 100 = 5 (R) · 50% of 66 = 33 (G) · 25% of 156 = 39 (A) · 5% of 380 = 19 (H)
- Clue 2 (Exponents): "WE SAW A GREEN LIGHT ON THE BACKPACK"7^3 = 343 (W) · 5^2 = 25 (C) · 2^7 = 128 (B) · 6^3 = 216 (A) · 14^2 = 196 (T) · 6^2 = 36 (N) · 2^4 = 16 (G) · 19^2 = 361 (E) · 8^2 = 64 (L) · 5^3 = 125 (S) · 3^2 = 9 (I) · 10^2 = 100 (R) · 12^2 = 144 (O) · 2^5 = 32 (K) · 11^2 = 121 (H) · 18^2 = 324 (P)
- Clue 3 (Order of operations): "THE VILLAIN SNEEZED IN MOON DUST"9 × 9 - 24 = 57 (T) · 5 × 6 - 15 = 15 (U) · 8 × 9 - 14 = 58 (E) · 16 + 8 × 4 = 48 (M) · 7 × 4 - 14 = 14 (D) · 3 × 9 - 8 = 19 (H) · 9 + 6 × 7 = 51 (O) · 32 + 7 × 2 = 46 (I) · 7 × 6 - 17 = 25 (A) · 9 × 9 - 6 = 75 (Z) · 9 + 6 × 6 = 45 (V) · 8 × 11 - 12 = 76 (N) · 5 × 9 - 16 = 29 (L) · 62 + 2 × 2 = 66 (S)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "A SHINY SILVER HELMET WAS SEEN"2 × 4 = 8 (A) · 2 × 1 = 2 (Y) · 6 × 1 = 6 (L) · 7 × 7 = 49 (H) · 7 × 2 = 14 (M) · 10 × 12 = 120 (R) · 7 × 4 = 28 (V) · 12 × 9 = 108 (E) · 11 × 11 = 121 (T) · 5 × 5 = 25 (I) · 11 × 3 = 33 (S) · 6 × 8 = 48 (N) · 2 × 11 = 22 (W)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 11) → Kalpana Chawla11 ÷ 11 = 1 · 6 ÷ 3 = 2 · 96 ÷ 8 = 12 · 70 ÷ 10 = 7 · 48 ÷ 12 = 4 · 54 ÷ 6 = 9 · 45 ÷ 9 = 5 · 15 ÷ 5 = 3 · 70 ÷ 7 = 10 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 72 ÷ 9 = 8
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 6 math
- Math topics
- Percentages, Exponents, Order of operations, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Missing Moonstone — set in The Asteroid Mining Station Alpha
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects
