🚀 SpaceGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationRoundingAdditionSubtractionDivision

The Cosmic Code

A rogue cosmic phantom has hijacked Nebula Station Seven! They locked the Chief Astronomer in the observation dome and tampered with the star maps. We must decode the ship's logs to find 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	thruster type	visor upgrade	glove control	helmet antenna color	starshield vulnerability
Guion Bluford	plasma glider	gravity sensor	right handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
Pete Conrad	warp drive	laser scanner	left handed controls	laser green	magnetic storms
Guy Gardner	ion jetpack	thermal vision	right handed controls	neon blue	solar flares
Peggy Whitson	plasma glider	thermal vision	left handed controls	solar orange	magnetic storms
Kalpana Chawla	fusion booster	gamma radar	right handed controls	neon blue	magnetic storms
Fred Haise	ion jetpack	gravity sensor	right handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
John Glenn	warp drive	thermal vision	right handed controls	neon blue	magnetic storms
Mark Kelly	ion jetpack	thermal vision	right handed controls	neon blue	magnetic storms
Neil Armstrong	warp drive	gamma radar	right handed controls	solar orange	cosmic dust
Hal Jordan	warp drive	cosmic compass	right handed controls	laser green	cosmic dust
Yuri Gagarin	plasma glider	cosmic compass	right handed controls	solar orange	cosmic dust
Ellen Ochoa	ion jetpack	cosmic compass	left handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
Sally Ride	plasma glider	thermal vision	left handed controls	laser green	solar flares
Gene Cernan	fusion booster	laser scanner	right handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
Carol Danvers	warp drive	gravity sensor	right handed controls	solar orange	magnetic storms
Jim Lovell	solar sail	gamma radar	right handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
Peter Quill	fusion booster	cosmic compass	left handed controls	solar orange	solar flares
Chris Hadfield	warp drive	gamma radar	right handed controls	neon blue	cosmic dust
Mae Jemison	fusion booster	gravity sensor	right handed controls	solar orange	magnetic storms
Alan Shepard	plasma glider	thermal vision	left handed controls	laser green	cosmic dust
Scott Kelly	plasma glider	laser scanner	left handed controls	solar orange	cosmic dust

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We found crates of stolen moonstone arranged in rows. By multiplying the rows of cargo, we unlocked the first encrypted datapad.

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

110

100

144

110

100

144

110

6 × 1 =T

6 × 10 =C

5 × 5 =H

12 × 12 =S

7 × 12 =A

3 × 9 =E

1 × 3 =R

10 × 10 =O

8 × 12 =L

7 × 1 =D

11 × 10 =N

11 × 1 =V

3 × 6 =U

10 × 2 =I

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Rounding

The long-range space radar only shows rounded coordinates. We rounded the signal to the nearest ten to pinpoint the thief's escape path.

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

290

5000

170

900

3700

2000

300

900

3700

1700

3000

430

290

1700

900

170

290

170

2900

500

2000

5000

170

900

3700

300

5000

Round 5,153 to the nearest thousandT

Round 301 to the nearest hundredG

Round 51 to the nearest tenH

Round 3,184 to the nearest thousandW

Round 3,671 to the nearest hundredI

Round 2,889 to the nearest hundredD

Round 1,932 to the nearest thousandN

Round 1,695 to the nearest hundredP

Round 169 to the nearest tenE

Round 881 to the nearest hundredR

Round 544 to the nearest hundredO

Round 286 to the nearest tenS

Round 429 to the nearest tenA

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Addition

To open the security vault, we totaled up all the energy cell counts. Adding these numbers together gave us the access 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.

2489

9552

7368

2001

8461

2489

3392

2057

7368

7843

2489

4854

9552

3376

7368

2057

6795

7843

6913

6180

8461

5227

2001

2824

8461

8254

7016

9552

7368

7843

6180

5227

1647 + 842 =C

3960 + 2953 =H

2801 + 3994 =P

5738 + 2723 =I

1494 + 1882 =G

5002 + 2366 =S

1803 + 3424 =R

5491 + 2763 =N

1356 + 701 =U

3447 + 4396 =T

1469 + 1355 =A

5766 + 3786 =O

3083 + 3097 =E

2129 + 1263 =D

1336 + 665 =M

2405 + 2449 =L

3320 + 3696 =B

0/17 letters found

Clue 4

Subtraction

The ship's main computer showed a fuel leak. By finding the difference between the starting fuel and the remaining fuel, we bypassed the lockout.

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

7059

4913

3701

5634

4913

3224

4074

1483

3701

8254

4074

5634

8675

7059

3373

4074

3701

1646

2519

5634

4913

2519

3842

3701

3005

7059

3373

3842

3224

5634

7059

5896

3005

7166 - 107 =A

7842 - 4000 =H

3739 - 1220 =T

8008 - 4784 =B

5083 - 3437 =F

8337 - 3424 =N

6731 - 1097 =O

4601 - 900 =E

9643 - 3747 =R

3126 - 121 =D

8628 - 4554 =L

12977 - 4302 =W

13120 - 4866 =G

4520 - 3037 =U

7373 - 4000 =S

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We recovered a cache of space rations. By dividing the rations equally among our patrol squads, we calculated the final security key.

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

90 ÷ 9 = ?

16 ÷ 8 = ?

6 ÷ 1 = ?

90 ÷ 10 = ?

3 ÷ 1 = ?

32 ÷ 8 = ?

66 ÷ 6 = ?

55 ÷ 11 = ?

1 ÷ 1 = ?

80 ÷ 10 = ?

7 ÷ 1 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain vents the trash compactor, then hacks the security feeds.

2.The villain vents the trash compactor, then steals the crystal drive.

3.The villain reprograms the navigation droid, then locks the laboratory doors.

4.The villain disables the artificial gravity, then steals the crystal drive.

5.The villain overloads the docking bay, then swipes the star charts.

6.The villain drains the solar batteries, then steals the crystal drive.

7.The villain drains the solar batteries, then scrambles the radio frequency.

8.The villain overloads the docking bay, then hacks the security feeds.

9.The villain drains the solar batteries, then hacks the security feeds.

10.The villain overloads the docking bay, then scrambles the radio frequency.

11.The villain disables the artificial gravity, then swipes the star charts.

12.The villain reprograms the navigation droid, then scrambles the radio frequency.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Cosmic Code

Culprit: Guion Bluford (plasma glider · gravity sensor · right handed controls · neon blue · cosmic dust)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE THE LASER SCANNER"
6 × 1 = 6 (T) · 6 × 10 = 60 (C) · 5 × 5 = 25 (H) · 12 × 12 = 144 (S) · 7 × 12 = 84 (A) · 3 × 9 = 27 (E) · 1 × 3 = 3 (R) · 10 × 10 = 100 (O) · 8 × 12 = 96 (L) · 7 × 1 = 7 (D) · 11 × 10 = 110 (N) · 11 × 1 = 11 (V) · 3 × 6 = 18 (U) · 10 × 2 = 20 (I)
Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE STEERING GRIP WAS PRESSED ON THE RIGHT"
Round 5,153 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (T) · Round 301 to the nearest hundred = 300 (G) · Round 51 to the nearest ten = 50 (H) · Round 3,184 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (W) · Round 3,671 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (I) · Round 2,889 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (D) · Round 1,932 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (N) · Round 1,695 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (P) · Round 169 to the nearest ten = 170 (E) · Round 881 to the nearest hundred = 900 (R) · Round 544 to the nearest hundred = 500 (O) · Round 286 to the nearest ten = 290 (S) · Round 429 to the nearest ten = 430 (A)
Clue 3 (Addition): "COSMIC DUST CLOGS UP THEIR MAIN BOOSTER"
1647 + 842 = 2489 (C) · 3960 + 2953 = 6913 (H) · 2801 + 3994 = 6795 (P) · 5738 + 2723 = 8461 (I) · 1494 + 1882 = 3376 (G) · 5002 + 2366 = 7368 (S) · 1803 + 3424 = 5227 (R) · 5491 + 2763 = 8254 (N) · 1356 + 701 = 2057 (U) · 3447 + 4396 = 7843 (T) · 1469 + 1355 = 2824 (A) · 5766 + 3786 = 9552 (O) · 3083 + 3097 = 6180 (E) · 2129 + 1263 = 3392 (D) · 1336 + 665 = 2001 (M) · 2405 + 2449 = 4854 (L) · 3320 + 3696 = 7016 (B)
Clue 4 (Subtraction): "A NEON BLUE GLOW WAS LEFT ON THE DASHBOARD"
7166 - 107 = 7059 (A) · 7842 - 4000 = 3842 (H) · 3739 - 1220 = 2519 (T) · 8008 - 4784 = 3224 (B) · 5083 - 3437 = 1646 (F) · 8337 - 3424 = 4913 (N) · 6731 - 1097 = 5634 (O) · 4601 - 900 = 3701 (E) · 9643 - 3747 = 5896 (R) · 3126 - 121 = 3005 (D) · 8628 - 4554 = 4074 (L) · 12977 - 4302 = 8675 (W) · 13120 - 4866 = 8254 (G) · 4520 - 3037 = 1483 (U) · 7373 - 4000 = 3373 (S)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 12) → Guion Bluford
90 ÷ 9 = 10 · 16 ÷ 8 = 2 · 6 ÷ 1 = 6 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9 · 3 ÷ 1 = 3 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 1 ÷ 1 = 1 · 80 ÷ 10 = 8 · 7 ÷ 1 = 7

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Cosmic Code — set in Nebula Station Seven
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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