🦕 DinosaursGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6Place valueMultiplicationWord problemsMulti-step word problemsDivision
The Cretaceous Fossil Caper
A rare, glowing golden T-Rex skull has been stolen from the Cretaceous Exhibit at the Dino Valley Research Station! The culprit is one of twenty-four suspect paleontologists who have been working with genetically revived dinosaur traits.
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 | Dino Gene Power | Field Tool | Hand Preference | Field Gear Hat | Allergy Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Henry Wu | Raptor Agility | Seismic Hammer | Right Handed | Red Hard Hat | Amber Sap Smell |
| Dr Sarah Harding | Triceratops Shielding | Gravity Crane | Left Handed | Red Hard Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Dr Mary Anning | Triceratops Shielding | Sonic Brush | Right Handed | Red Hard Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Patricia Vickers | Raptor Agility | Laser Chisel | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Edward Cope | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Sonic Brush | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Dr Rex Stone | Raptor Agility | Sonic Brush | Left Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Amber Sap Smell |
| Dr Nick Van Owen | Triceratops Shielding | Gravity Crane | Right Handed | Green Camo Cap | Volcanic Ash |
| Dr Steve Brusatte | Ankylosaurus Clubbing | Gravity Crane | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Amber Sap Smell |
| Othniel Marsh | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Gravity Crane | Right Handed | Green Camo Cap | Volcanic Ash |
| Owen Grady | Raptor Agility | Laser Chisel | Left Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Fern Pollen |
| Dr Jack Horner | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Seismic Hammer | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Dr Paul Sereno | Pterodactyl Flight | Laser Chisel | Right Handed | Green Camo Cap | Amber Sap Smell |
| Ian Malcolm | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Thermal Scanner | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Amber Sap Smell |
| Alan Grant | Triceratops Shielding | Thermal Scanner | Right Handed | Red Hard Hat | Amber Sap Smell |
| Ellie Sattler | Pterodactyl Flight | Sonic Brush | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Sue Hendrickson | Triceratops Shielding | Thermal Scanner | Left Handed | Green Camo Cap | Amber Sap Smell |
| Dr Karen Chin | Pterodactyl Flight | Sonic Brush | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Fern Pollen |
| Dr Dong Zhiming | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Thermal Scanner | Left Handed | Green Camo Cap | Volcanic Ash |
| Dr Luis Alvarez | T-Rex Jaw Strength | Thermal Scanner | Left Handed | Red Hard Hat | Fern Pollen |
| Dr Richard Owen | Ankylosaurus Clubbing | Thermal Scanner | Left Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
| Claire Dearing | Raptor Agility | Thermal Scanner | Right Handed | Khaki Sun Hat | Volcanic Ash |
Clue 1
Place value
The security terminal has a digital lockout. We must examine the dinosaur population database to find the correct digit in the ten-thousands place to unlock the first hint.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
9000
3000
4000
T
9000
3000
30
4000
70
20
400
4000
1000
2000
400
T
9000
100
1000
4000
7000
1000
4000
30
1000
700
30
50
3000
7000
700
700
4000
200
What is the value of the 9 in 369,777?T
What is the value of the 4 in 104,960?E
What is the value of the 5 in 22,457?C
What is the value of the 7 in 957,051?A
What is the value of the 2 in 574,727?D
What is the value of the 3 in 213,685?H
What is the value of the 7 in 158,751?M
What is the value of the 2 in 92,783?N
What is the value of the 1 in 947,136?U
What is the value of the 7 in 41,974?F
What is the value of the 3 in 86,239?I
What is the value of the 2 in 71,256?R
What is the value of the 4 in 951,402?O
What is the value of the 1 in 61,398?S
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The thief escaped through the fossil storage room. We need to multiply the rows of fossil crates by the boxes per row to calculate how many bones are missing.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
36
7
20
144
35
28
88
144
27
54
20
18
T
36
7
20
110
99
99
110
21
7
T
36
7
81
28
18
T
36
35
27
28
88
35
14
77
110
T
36
9 × 4 =T
9 × 9 =A
4 × 5 =E
7 × 2 =C
3 × 7 =G
5 × 7 =O
9 × 6 =S
10 × 11 =I
8 × 11 =L
6 × 3 =D
7 × 1 =H
9 × 3 =U
4 × 7 =N
9 × 11 =R
12 × 12 =Y
7 × 11 =K
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Word problems
To track the getaway footprints, we need to solve a word problem about the total distance traveled by a stampeding herd of Triceratops.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
V
72
92
15
41
7
28
115
41
7
S
H
Ranger Parker lined up 6 rows of 12 amber crystals. How many amber crystals in all?V
There were 56 raptor claws. 28 were used up. How many raptor claws are left?N
Ranger Parker found 39 dino eggshells yesterday and 2 more today. How many dino eggshells in all?C
There were 23 raptor claws. 16 were used up. How many raptor claws are left?A
Ranger Parker found 33 amber crystals yesterday and 59 more today. How many amber crystals in all?O
There were 149 fossilized teeth. 34 were used up. How many fossilized teeth are left?I
There were 50 dino eggshells. 35 were used up. How many dino eggshells are left?L
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Multi-step word problems
We discover a dropped field notebook containing several supply logs. By adding the broken tools and subtracting the salvaged items, we pinpoint the exact campsite.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandof hairturnedupatthescene.
K
29
62
63
K
29
75
22
25
85
62
63
T
Ranger Parker earned 6 fossilized teeth in each of 2 rounds, plus 21 bonus fossilized teeth. Then 4 fossilized teeth were lost. How many fossilized teeth are left?K
There were 292 dino eggshells in all. 2 Dino Patrol used 22 dino eggshells each. The other 4 Dino Patrol shared the rest equally. How many dino eggshells did each of the other Dino Patrol get?H
There were 70 volcanic rocks in all. 1 Dino Patrol used 26 volcanic rocks each. The other 2 Dino Patrol shared the rest equally. How many volcanic rocks did each of the other Dino Patrol get?S
There were 206 dino eggshells in all. 6 dino eggshells were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 8 Dino Patrol. How many dino eggshells did each get?U
Ranger Parker earned 2 raptor claws in each of 2 rounds, plus 85 bonus raptor claws. Then 14 raptor claws were lost. How many raptor claws are left?I
Ranger Parker filled 9 boxes with 3 amber crystals each, then found 36 more amber crystals. How many amber crystals are there in all?A
Ranger Parker earned 2 fossilized teeth in each of 6 rounds, plus 87 bonus fossilized teeth. Then 14 fossilized teeth were lost. How many fossilized teeth are left?N
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
A pile of prehistoric fruit was left behind near the raptor cage. We must divide the total berry count equally among the hungry baby dinosaurs to find the hidden room code.
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
60 ÷ 12 = ?
36 ÷ 6 = ?
99 ÷ 9 = ?
64 ÷ 8 = ?
27 ÷ 3 = ?
18 ÷ 9 = ?
56 ÷ 8 = ?
50 ÷ 5 = ?
3 ÷ 3 = ?
44 ÷ 11 = ?
6 ÷ 2 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain blocked the incoming tranquilizer darts, then brushed away the pressure sensors with a sonic brush.
2.The villain soared down from the glass ceiling dome, then sliced the display glass with a laser chisel.
3.The villain blocked the incoming tranquilizer darts, then shattered the floor vaults with a seismic hammer.
4.The villain blocked the incoming tranquilizer darts, then lifted the heavy fossil with a gravity crane.
5.The villain crunched through the steel vault doors, then brushed away the pressure sensors with a sonic brush.
6.The villain soared down from the glass ceiling dome, then brushed away the pressure sensors with a sonic brush.
7.The villain crunched through the steel vault doors, then shattered the floor vaults with a seismic hammer.
8.The villain blocked the incoming tranquilizer darts, then tracked the guard rotations with a thermal scanner.
9.The villain smashed the concrete pedestal to pieces, then sliced the display glass with a laser chisel.
10.The villain smashed the concrete pedestal to pieces, then shattered the floor vaults with a seismic hammer.
11.The villain vaulted over the high security laser grid, then tracked the guard rotations with a thermal scanner.
12.The villain vaulted over the high security laser grid, then sliced the display glass with a laser chisel.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Cretaceous Fossil Caper
Culprit: Patricia Vickers (Raptor Agility · Laser Chisel · Right Handed · Khaki Sun Hat · Volcanic Ash)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE A SEISMIC HAMMER"What is the value of the 9 in 369,777? = 9000 (T) · What is the value of the 4 in 104,960? = 4000 (E) · What is the value of the 5 in 22,457? = 50 (C) · What is the value of the 7 in 957,051? = 7000 (A) · What is the value of the 2 in 574,727? = 20 (D) · What is the value of the 3 in 213,685? = 3000 (H) · What is the value of the 7 in 158,751? = 700 (M) · What is the value of the 2 in 92,783? = 2000 (N) · What is the value of the 1 in 947,136? = 100 (U) · What is the value of the 7 in 41,974? = 70 (F) · What is the value of the 3 in 86,239? = 30 (I) · What is the value of the 2 in 71,256? = 200 (R) · What is the value of the 4 in 951,402? = 400 (O) · What is the value of the 1 in 61,398? = 1000 (S)
- Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THEY ONLY USED THEIR RIGHT HAND TO UNLOCK IT"9 × 4 = 36 (T) · 9 × 9 = 81 (A) · 4 × 5 = 20 (E) · 7 × 2 = 14 (C) · 3 × 7 = 21 (G) · 5 × 7 = 35 (O) · 9 × 6 = 54 (S) · 10 × 11 = 110 (I) · 8 × 11 = 88 (L) · 6 × 3 = 18 (D) · 7 × 1 = 7 (H) · 9 × 3 = 27 (U) · 4 × 7 = 28 (N) · 9 × 11 = 99 (R) · 12 × 12 = 144 (Y) · 7 × 11 = 77 (K)
- Clue 3 (Word problems): "VOLCANIC ASH"Ranger Parker lined up 6 rows of 12 amber crystals. How many amber crystals in all? = 72 (V) · There were 56 raptor claws. 28 were used up. How many raptor claws are left? = 28 (N) · Ranger Parker found 39 dino eggshells yesterday and 2 more today. How many dino eggshells in all? = 41 (C) · There were 23 raptor claws. 16 were used up. How many raptor claws are left? = 7 (A) · Ranger Parker found 33 amber crystals yesterday and 59 more today. How many amber crystals in all? = 92 (O) · There were 149 fossilized teeth. 34 were used up. How many fossilized teeth are left? = 115 (I) · There were 50 dino eggshells. 35 were used up. How many dino eggshells are left? = 15 (L)
- Clue 4 (Multi-step word problems): "KHAKI SUN HAT"Ranger Parker earned 6 fossilized teeth in each of 2 rounds, plus 21 bonus fossilized teeth. Then 4 fossilized teeth were lost. How many fossilized teeth are left? = 29 (K) · There were 292 dino eggshells in all. 2 Dino Patrol used 22 dino eggshells each. The other 4 Dino Patrol shared the rest equally. How many dino eggshells did each of the other Dino Patrol get? = 62 (H) · There were 70 volcanic rocks in all. 1 Dino Patrol used 26 volcanic rocks each. The other 2 Dino Patrol shared the rest equally. How many volcanic rocks did each of the other Dino Patrol get? = 22 (S) · There were 206 dino eggshells in all. 6 dino eggshells were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 8 Dino Patrol. How many dino eggshells did each get? = 25 (U) · Ranger Parker earned 2 raptor claws in each of 2 rounds, plus 85 bonus raptor claws. Then 14 raptor claws were lost. How many raptor claws are left? = 75 (I) · Ranger Parker filled 9 boxes with 3 amber crystals each, then found 36 more amber crystals. How many amber crystals are there in all? = 63 (A) · Ranger Parker earned 2 fossilized teeth in each of 6 rounds, plus 87 bonus fossilized teeth. Then 14 fossilized teeth were lost. How many fossilized teeth are left? = 85 (N)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 12) → Patricia Vickers60 ÷ 12 = 5 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6 · 99 ÷ 9 = 11 · 64 ÷ 8 = 8 · 27 ÷ 3 = 9 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 56 ÷ 8 = 7 · 50 ÷ 5 = 10 · 3 ÷ 3 = 1 · 44 ÷ 11 = 4 · 6 ÷ 2 = 3
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Multiplication, Word problems, Multi-step word problems, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Cretaceous Fossil Caper — set in Dino Valley Research Station
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects