🚀 SpaceGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6RoundingSubtractionPlace valueFractions of a numberDivision

The Cosmic Caper on the Starship Copernicus

An emergency alarm is sounding across the Starship Copernicus! A mysterious Space Bandit has sneaked into the science lab and stolen the newly discovered Saturn Diamond. It is up to you to decode the clues, track down the culprit among the crew, and save the mission!

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	Cosmic Power	Auxiliary Gear	Visor Glow	Space Hair	Vulnerability
Yuri Gagarin	Gravity Warping	Warp Speed Dash	Red Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Space Dust
Buzz Aldrin	Solar Flaring	Warp Speed Dash	Red Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Magnet Nets
Carl Sagan	Solar Flaring	Ion Thruster Boost	Red Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Space Dust
Jules Verne	Solar Flaring	Ion Thruster Boost	Blue Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Magnet Nets
Mae Jemison	Gravity Warping	Ion Thruster Boost	Red Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Space Dust
H G Wells	Gravity Warping	Telemetry Hack	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust
Valentina Tereshkova	Plasma Blasting	Asteroid Shielding	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust
Vera Rubin	Gravity Warping	Zero-G Floating	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust
Isaac Asimov	Nebula Cloaking	Warp Speed Dash	Blue Visor Glow	Cosmic Purple Hair	Magnet Nets
Chris Hadfield	Nebula Cloaking	Warp Speed Dash	Blue Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Solar Flares
Peggy Whitson	Laser Cutting	Asteroid Shielding	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust
Kalpana Chawla	Plasma Blasting	Ion Thruster Boost	Blue Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust
Tycho Brahe	Laser Cutting	Warp Speed Dash	Blue Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Space Dust
Alan Shepard	Nebula Cloaking	Asteroid Shielding	Blue Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Magnet Nets
Arthur Clarke	Laser Cutting	Asteroid Shielding	Blue Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Magnet Nets
Sally Ride	Plasma Blasting	Telemetry Hack	Red Visor Glow	Cosmic Purple Hair	Space Dust
Neil Armstrong	Nebula Cloaking	Asteroid Shielding	Blue Visor Glow	Cosmic Purple Hair	Solar Flares
John Glenn	Plasma Blasting	Warp Speed Dash	Red Visor Glow	Neon Green Hair	Space Dust
Ellen Ochoa	Nebula Cloaking	Zero-G Floating	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Magnet Nets
Octavia Butler	Solar Flaring	Asteroid Shielding	Red Visor Glow	Cosmic Purple Hair	Solar Flares
Caroline Herschel	Solar Flaring	Asteroid Shielding	Red Visor Glow	Metallic Silver Hair	Space Dust

Clue 1

Rounding

The starship's long-range scanner can only show rounded numbers for weight. Round the cargo weight to the nearest thousand to unlock the first database file.

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

290

3700

4300

3000

430

4300

9000

430

4300

700

430

290

1700

700

4300

290

4300

230

4300

290

130

170

3700

2000

900

110

Round 288 to the nearest tenT

Round 904 to the nearest hundredC

Round 234 to the nearest tenL

Round 86 to the nearest tenM

Round 4,339 to the nearest hundredE

Round 1,995 to the nearest thousandA

Round 715 to the nearest hundredS

Round 428 to the nearest tenO

Round 170 to the nearest tenY

Round 8,836 to the nearest thousandD

Round 106 to the nearest tenK

Round 1,666 to the nearest hundredU

Round 3,294 to the nearest thousandF

Round 127 to the nearest tenR

Round 3,661 to the nearest hundredH

Round 24 to the nearest tenN

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Subtraction

To open the engine room hatch, you must find the difference between the station's fuel reserves and the empty tank capacity.

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

6423

5960

2982

1423

5781

8444

3998

7666

3415

8444

4610

5960

2982

8444

5314

4610

2730

5960

2982

5960

7702

8711

8956 - 2533 =R

8728 - 1026 =C

9547 - 1103 =O

6131 - 3401 =H

7798 - 4816 =D

5031 - 1033 =W

11622 - 2911 =K

2537 - 1114 =G

8189 - 3579 =T

9339 - 1673 =S

7704 - 1744 =E

10331 - 4550 =L

5715 - 401 =N

6425 - 3010 =P

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Place value

The computer terminal demands the digit in the ten-thousands place of the spaceship's launch code to reveal the suspect's description.

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

200

1000

600

4000

6000

9000

7000

200

900

4000

8000

300

200

900

6000

300

400

6000

200

What is the value of the 2 in 44,280?S

What is the value of the 4 in 304,891?C

What is the value of the 9 in 335,955?T

What is the value of the 3 in 64,036?N

What is the value of the 1 in 981,629?P

What is the value of the 9 in 79,210?D

What is the value of the 6 in 846,035?E

What is the value of the 6 in 432,360?H

What is the value of the 5 in 327,254?O

What is the value of the 3 in 99,305?G

What is the value of the 7 in 57,611?U

What is the value of the 8 in 348,622?L

What is the value of the 4 in 992,427?I

What is the value of the 6 in 42,637?A

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Fractions of a number

The astromech droid needs to repair its solar cells. Find three-fifths of the total damaged cells to reboot its memory banks.

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

6/10 of 30 =S

1/4 of 160 =Y

6/8 of 36 =D

4/6 of 36 =V

3/6 of 46 =E

1/6 of 102 =A

5/8 of 40 =B

2/6 of 48 =C

1/6 of 186 =P

2/6 of 87 =U

5/10 of 60 =I

5/10 of 10 =T

1/2 of 16 =L

4/5 of 15 =R

1/3 of 99 =N

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We need to split the oxygen tanks equally among the escape pods. Divide the total tanks by the number of pods to get the final passcode.

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

12 ÷ 4 = ?

70 ÷ 7 = ?

36 ÷ 4 = ?

2 ÷ 1 = ?

5 ÷ 5 = ?

56 ÷ 8 = ?

60 ÷ 5 = ?

110 ÷ 10 = ?

16 ÷ 4 = ?

80 ÷ 10 = ?

60 ÷ 12 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain cloaks in a thick nebula cloud, then blocks laser fire with an asteroid shield.

2.The villain absorbs power from a solar flare, then floats away in zero gravity.

3.The villain absorbs power from a solar flare, then blocks laser fire with an asteroid shield.

4.The villain absorbs power from a solar flare, then boosts away using ion thrusters.

5.The villain warps gravity in the cargo bay, then blocks laser fire with an asteroid shield.

6.The villain warps gravity in the cargo bay, then floats away in zero gravity.

7.The villain cloaks in a thick nebula cloud, then dashes out of sight at warp speed.

8.The villain cuts through the airlocks with lasers, then floats away in zero gravity.

9.The villain cuts through the airlocks with lasers, then blocks laser fire with an asteroid shield.

10.The villain fires plasma blasts at the sensors, then blocks laser fire with an asteroid shield.

11.The villain fires plasma blasts at the sensors, then floats away in zero gravity.

12.The villain absorbs power from a solar flare, then dashes out of sight at warp speed.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Cosmic Caper on the Starship Copernicus

Culprit: Vera Rubin (Gravity Warping · Zero-G Floating · Red Visor Glow · Metallic Silver Hair · Space Dust)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE FOE DOES NOT USE TELEMETRY HACK"
Round 288 to the nearest ten = 290 (T) · Round 904 to the nearest hundred = 900 (C) · Round 234 to the nearest ten = 230 (L) · Round 86 to the nearest ten = 90 (M) · Round 4,339 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (E) · Round 1,995 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (A) · Round 715 to the nearest hundred = 700 (S) · Round 428 to the nearest ten = 430 (O) · Round 170 to the nearest ten = 170 (Y) · Round 8,836 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (D) · Round 106 to the nearest ten = 110 (K) · Round 1,666 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (U) · Round 3,294 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (F) · Round 127 to the nearest ten = 130 (R) · Round 3,661 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (H) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (N)
Clue 2 (Subtraction): "RED GLOW SPOTTED ON THE DECK"
8956 - 2533 = 6423 (R) · 8728 - 1026 = 7702 (C) · 9547 - 1103 = 8444 (O) · 6131 - 3401 = 2730 (H) · 7798 - 4816 = 2982 (D) · 5031 - 1033 = 3998 (W) · 11622 - 2911 = 8711 (K) · 2537 - 1114 = 1423 (G) · 8189 - 3579 = 4610 (T) · 9339 - 1673 = 7666 (S) · 7704 - 1744 = 5960 (E) · 10331 - 4550 = 5781 (L) · 5715 - 401 = 5314 (N) · 6425 - 3010 = 3415 (P)
Clue 3 (Place value): "SPACE DUST CLOGS THE ENGINES"
What is the value of the 2 in 44,280? = 200 (S) · What is the value of the 4 in 304,891? = 4000 (C) · What is the value of the 9 in 335,955? = 900 (T) · What is the value of the 3 in 64,036? = 30 (N) · What is the value of the 1 in 981,629? = 1000 (P) · What is the value of the 9 in 79,210? = 9000 (D) · What is the value of the 6 in 846,035? = 6000 (E) · What is the value of the 6 in 432,360? = 60 (H) · What is the value of the 5 in 327,254? = 50 (O) · What is the value of the 3 in 99,305? = 300 (G) · What is the value of the 7 in 57,611? = 7000 (U) · What is the value of the 8 in 348,622? = 8000 (L) · What is the value of the 4 in 992,427? = 400 (I) · What is the value of the 6 in 42,637? = 600 (A)
Clue 4 (Fractions of a number): "SILVER STRANDS BY SPACESUIT"
6/10 of 30 = 18 (S) · 1/4 of 160 = 40 (Y) · 6/8 of 36 = 27 (D) · 4/6 of 36 = 24 (V) · 3/6 of 46 = 23 (E) · 1/6 of 102 = 17 (A) · 5/8 of 40 = 25 (B) · 2/6 of 48 = 16 (C) · 1/6 of 186 = 31 (P) · 2/6 of 87 = 29 (U) · 5/10 of 60 = 30 (I) · 5/10 of 10 = 5 (T) · 1/2 of 16 = 8 (L) · 4/5 of 15 = 12 (R) · 1/3 of 99 = 33 (N)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 6) → Vera Rubin
12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 70 ÷ 7 = 10 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 2 ÷ 1 = 2 · 5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 56 ÷ 8 = 7 · 60 ÷ 5 = 12 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11 · 16 ÷ 4 = 4 · 80 ÷ 10 = 8 · 60 ÷ 12 = 5

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Rounding, Subtraction, Place value, Fractions of a number, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Cosmic Caper on the Starship Copernicus — set in the Starship Copernicus high above the rings of Saturn
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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