🔎 Chicago cubs history geograpGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationFractions of a numberOrder of operationsRounding

The Chicago History Mystery

The museum's grand opening is in jeopardy! Someone has stolen priceless historical treasures, from vintage Chicago Cubs pennants to legendary pop star memorabilia and rare digital Blooket trophies. The suspect left a trail of tricky math puzzles across the exhibits. We need your team to solve the clues, track down the thief, and save the grand opening!

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	Favorite Exhibit	Stolen Treasure	Batting Stance	Wig Color	Distraction
Billy Williams	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Championship Ring	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Abe Lincoln	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Pharaoh Crown	Left Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Ernie Banks	Route Sixty Six Exhibit	Old Map	Left Handed	Powdered White	Pop Music
Ron Santo	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Tom Blook	Right Handed	Powdered White	Play by Play
Ryne Sandberg	Blooket Arena Exhibit	Old Map	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Play by Play
Kerry Wood	Pop Star Stage Exhibit	Old Map	Right Handed	Powdered White	Play by Play
Astronaut Blook	Blooket Arena Exhibit	Old Map	Right Handed	Powdered White	Pop Music
Moises Alou	Blooket Arena Exhibit	Golden Glove	Left Handed	Curly Black	History Trivia
Susie Q	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Pharaoh Crown	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Yeti Blook	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Tom Blook	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Diana Ross	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Old Map	Left Handed	Curly Black	Play by Play
Mac Jackson	Giza Pyramids Exhibit	Golden Glove	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Sammy Sosa	Pop Star Stage Exhibit	Pharaoh Crown	Left Handed	Curly Black	Pop Music
Marco Polo	Giza Pyramids Exhibit	Pharaoh Crown	Left Handed	Curly Black	Play by Play
Harry Caray	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Tom Blook	Right Handed	Ivy Green	History Trivia
Ben Stewart	Pop Star Stage Exhibit	Old Map	Right Handed	Ivy Green	Pop Music
Billie Jean	Blooket Arena Exhibit	Tom Blook	Left Handed	Ivy Green	Play by Play
Kris Bryant	Wrigley Field Exhibit	Pharaoh Crown	Left Handed	Curly Black	Pop Music
Ben King	Route Sixty Six Exhibit	Tom Blook	Right Handed	Curly Black	History Trivia
Betsy Ross	Route Sixty Six Exhibit	Old Map	Left Handed	Powdered White	Play by Play
Amelia Earhart	Pop Star Stage Exhibit	Golden Glove	Right Handed	Curly Black	History Trivia

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

At the Wrigley Field exhibit, we found rows of vintage baseball card packs. If we multiply the rows by the cards in each pack, we can unlock the security cabinet.

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

121

10 × 7 =T

3 × 5 =M

6 × 5 =N

2 × 3 =O

1 × 7 =S

3 × 8 =I

10 × 5 =K

7 × 6 =H

5 × 4 =A

9 × 7 =V

12 × 8 =B

3 × 7 =E

9 × 10 =D

11 × 11 =L

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Fractions of a number

We found a crate of souvenir baseballs in the Chicago history wing. Taking a fraction of this total shipment reveals the secret vault passcode.

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

2/10 of 80 =T

4/8 of 68 =W

3/10 of 100 =I

7/8 of 40 =A

4/10 of 70 =P

1/3 of 87 =S

1/5 of 55 =D

3/6 of 36 =E

3/10 of 70 =G

2/6 of 30 =B

1/5 of 185 =H

3/6 of 18 =R

1/10 of 170 =N

4/8 of 6 =U

2/6 of 96 =C

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Order of operations

The museum alarm system has a complex formula that must be solved in the exact order of operations to download the security camera footage.

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

12 × 8 - 19 =T

49 + 6 × 5 =P

55 + 4 × 4 =U

6 × 10 - 6 =M

6 × 12 - 26 =A

39 + 5 × 6 =E

3 + 2 × 2 =O

8 × 8 - 2 =D

63 + 5 × 2 =N

7 × 12 - 28 =Y

62 + 2 × 3 =C

2 + 2 × 2 =I

9 × 5 - 2 =H

10 × 8 - 23 =S

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Rounding

The radar tracker on the roof is fuzzy and only displays rounded numbers. Rounding the speed reading to the nearest ten pinpoints where the thief fled.

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

5000

170

900

110

300

1700

1100

200

430

2900

370

170

300

900

1100

3700

170

370

4300

300

9000

2300

170

4300

170

3000

9000

Round 4,975 to the nearest thousandW

Round 2,287 to the nearest hundredH

Round 3,462 to the nearest thousandA

Round 301 to the nearest hundredN

Round 4,338 to the nearest hundredS

Round 8,844 to the nearest thousandT

Round 2,893 to the nearest hundredG

Round 52 to the nearest tenO

Round 1,706 to the nearest hundredD

Round 213 to the nearest hundredV

Round 174 to the nearest tenE

Round 433 to the nearest tenY

Round 368 to the nearest tenR

Round 925 to the nearest hundredF

Round 3,731 to the nearest hundredB

Round 1,112 to the nearest hundredI

Round 109 to the nearest tenU

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Fractions of a number — the last clue

The museum's ancient map vault holds old scrolls. Finding a fraction of the total scrolls helps us track the thief's escape route across the globe.

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

6/8 of 8 = ?

2/4 of 14 = ?

1/6 of 66 = ?

4/10 of 20 = ?

2/10 of 60 = ?

1/5 of 50 = ?

2/4 of 6 = ?

5/10 of 10 = ?

1/3 of 6 = ?

1/8 of 8 = ?

1/4 of 16 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain logins to the high score server, then drops a sparkly glove.

2.The villain escapes down a dirt highway, then loses a vintage road map.

3.The villain logins to the high score server, then loses a vintage road map.

4.The villain escapes down a dirt highway, then leaves a replica trophy.

5.The villain sails across the mediterranean sea, then hacks the daily quest log.

6.The villain escapes down a dirt highway, then drops a sparkly glove.

7.The villain moonwalks across the museum lobby, then loses a vintage road map.

8.The villain moonwalks across the museum lobby, then drops a sparkly glove.

9.The villain sneaks past the ivy wall, then leaves a replica trophy.

10.The villain escapes down a dirt highway, then drops a golden pyramid coin.

11.The villain sneaks past the ivy wall, then drops a golden pyramid coin.

12.The villain escapes down a dirt highway, then hacks the daily quest log.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Chicago History Mystery

Culprit: Billy Williams (Wrigley Field Exhibit · Championship Ring · Right Handed · Ivy Green · Pop Music)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DID NOT STEAL TOM BLOOK"
10 × 7 = 70 (T) · 3 × 5 = 15 (M) · 6 × 5 = 30 (N) · 2 × 3 = 6 (O) · 1 × 7 = 7 (S) · 3 × 8 = 24 (I) · 10 × 5 = 50 (K) · 7 × 6 = 42 (H) · 5 × 4 = 20 (A) · 9 × 7 = 63 (V) · 12 × 8 = 96 (B) · 3 × 7 = 21 (E) · 9 × 10 = 90 (D) · 11 × 11 = 121 (L)
Clue 2 (Fractions of a number): "THE SUSPECT SWUNG THE BAT RIGHT HANDED"
2/10 of 80 = 16 (T) · 4/8 of 68 = 34 (W) · 3/10 of 100 = 30 (I) · 7/8 of 40 = 35 (A) · 4/10 of 70 = 28 (P) · 1/3 of 87 = 29 (S) · 1/5 of 55 = 11 (D) · 3/6 of 36 = 18 (E) · 3/10 of 70 = 21 (G) · 2/6 of 30 = 10 (B) · 1/5 of 185 = 37 (H) · 3/6 of 18 = 9 (R) · 1/10 of 170 = 17 (N) · 4/8 of 6 = 3 (U) · 2/6 of 96 = 32 (C)
Clue 3 (Order of operations): "THEY STOPPED TO DANCE TO POP MUSIC"
12 × 8 - 19 = 77 (T) · 49 + 6 × 5 = 79 (P) · 55 + 4 × 4 = 71 (U) · 6 × 10 - 6 = 54 (M) · 6 × 12 - 26 = 46 (A) · 39 + 5 × 6 = 69 (E) · 3 + 2 × 2 = 7 (O) · 8 × 8 - 2 = 62 (D) · 63 + 5 × 2 = 73 (N) · 7 × 12 - 28 = 56 (Y) · 62 + 2 × 3 = 68 (C) · 2 + 2 × 2 = 6 (I) · 9 × 5 - 2 = 43 (H) · 10 × 8 - 23 = 57 (S)
Clue 4 (Rounding): "WE FOUND IVY GREEN FIBERS ON THE SEAT"
Round 4,975 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (W) · Round 2,287 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (H) · Round 3,462 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (A) · Round 301 to the nearest hundred = 300 (N) · Round 4,338 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (S) · Round 8,844 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (T) · Round 2,893 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (G) · Round 52 to the nearest ten = 50 (O) · Round 1,706 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (D) · Round 213 to the nearest hundred = 200 (V) · Round 174 to the nearest ten = 170 (E) · Round 433 to the nearest ten = 430 (Y) · Round 368 to the nearest ten = 370 (R) · Round 925 to the nearest hundred = 900 (F) · Round 3,731 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (B) · Round 1,112 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (I) · Round 109 to the nearest ten = 110 (U)
Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 9) → Billy Williams
6/8 of 8 = 6 · 2/4 of 14 = 7 · 1/6 of 66 = 11 · 4/10 of 20 = 8 · 2/10 of 60 = 12 · 1/5 of 50 = 10 · 2/4 of 6 = 3 · 5/10 of 10 = 5 · 1/3 of 6 = 2 · 1/8 of 8 = 1 · 1/4 of 16 = 4

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Fractions of a number, Order of operations, Rounding
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Chicago History Mystery — set in The Chicago Museum of History and Pop Culture
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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