🦕 DinosaursGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Dino-Reserve Escapade

A mischievous dinosaur has escaped from its paddock! It grabbed the Chief Paleontologist's golden fossil scanner and bolted into the valley. We need to track the clues and identify the runaway before it hides the scanner forever!

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	Natural Ability	Special Gear	Footprint Type	Dino Coat	Calming Method
Gorgon	tail swipe	sparkly cape	right-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Spike	sonic roar	feathered crest	right-clawed footprints	bumpy skin	loud whistles
Chomper	high jump	muddy boots	left-clawed footprints	green scales	loud whistles
Buster	armor plating	feathered crest	right-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Dino	armor plating	night goggles	left-clawed footprints	striped feathers	sweet berries
Petrie	high jump	muddy boots	left-clawed footprints	bumpy skin	bright flashlights
Tiny	armor plating	feathered crest	right-clawed footprints	striped feathers	loud whistles
Rocky	super speed	muddy boots	left-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Talon	tail swipe	feathered crest	left-clawed footprints	bumpy skin	bright flashlights
Pip	armor plating	feathered crest	left-clawed footprints	striped feathers	bright flashlights
Ducky	sonic roar	feathered crest	right-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Rexy	sonic roar	muddy boots	right-clawed footprints	bumpy skin	loud whistles
Bronto	sonic roar	glowing collar	right-clawed footprints	green scales	sweet berries
Shiny	sonic roar	muddy boots	right-clawed footprints	striped feathers	bright flashlights
Littlefoot	tail swipe	muddy boots	left-clawed footprints	green scales	sweet berries
Raptor Blue	high jump	night goggles	right-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Steggy	armor plating	feathered crest	left-clawed footprints	striped feathers	sweet berries
Barney	armor plating	sparkly cape	right-clawed footprints	striped feathers	sweet berries
Trixie	tail swipe	glowing collar	right-clawed footprints	green scales	bright flashlights
Don	armor plating	feathered crest	left-clawed footprints	bumpy skin	bright flashlights
Buddy	armor plating	feathered crest	right-clawed footprints	striped feathers	sweet berries

Clue 1

Rounding

The security radar scanned the valley. It only gives a rounded number for the distance, but that is enough to track the getaway 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.

290

2900

200

900

430

170

900

1700

230

2900

1700

290

5000

2900

170

2300

170

1100

170

2300

7000

430

2000

170

1100

2900

Round 293 to the nearest tenT

Round 5,243 to the nearest thousandW

Round 2,922 to the nearest hundredE

Round 31 to the nearest tenH

Round 2,318 to the nearest thousandC

Round 234 to the nearest tenD

Round 67 to the nearest tenY

Round 173 to the nearest tenA

Round 7,167 to the nearest thousandK

Round 92 to the nearest tenS

Round 1,105 to the nearest hundredP

Round 1,734 to the nearest hundredN

Round 53 to the nearest tenO

Round 431 to the nearest tenL

Round 2,265 to the nearest hundredR

Round 154 to the nearest hundredV

Round 898 to the nearest hundredI

0/17 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

Ranger Sarah counted the broken branches on the trail. She needs to add them all up to find which way the dinosaur ran.

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

2702

8098

3340

7933

8427

6018

8098

2702

4456

6548

2717

2115

7588

6548

3340

3069

2702

4606

3340

5075

4492

2717

7933

6530

7588

824 + 1878 =T

928 + 1187 =W

3405 + 2613 =G

4871 + 3062 =R

2648 + 4940 =S

4284 + 2264 =L

2397 + 4133 =K

3260 + 5167 =I

3127 + 1365 =M

2032 + 1037 =F

2840 + 1766 =D

1210 + 1507 =A

1902 + 3173 =P

1866 + 2590 =C

2576 + 5522 =H

2052 + 1288 =E

0/16 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

We found a pile of stolen melons! By subtracting the leftover fruit from the starting total, we can calculate how much the beast ate.

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

5456

5484

4312

8018

4312

8018

1491

4654

2547

4312

1491

5484

1781

5146

8801

7742

5456

5484

8801

4312

1491

5484

1781

5456

7936

7742

2547

5882

3732

4312

1781

6743 - 1287 =S

9153 - 352 =L

7404 - 2258 =F

3011 - 1230 =T

11520 - 3584 =C

6993 - 2339 =B

10039 - 2021 =N

8177 - 4445 =D

9249 - 3765 =H

7994 - 3682 =I

2692 - 145 =R

3232 - 1741 =G

8792 - 2910 =E

11769 - 4027 =A

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The footprints are grouped in neat rows near the lake. Multiplying the rows by the prints in each row will give us the total count.

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

132

108

132

5 × 2 =W

6 × 9 =O

9 × 12 =C

8 × 8 =T

11 × 3 =N

3 × 3 =G

11 × 1 =H

2 × 1 =F

9 × 11 =D

12 × 4 =R

12 × 11 =S

4 × 9 =L

5 × 5 =A

8 × 11 =U

4 × 3 =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We have a bag of fossil brushes to share equally among the search teams. Let us divide them up to get everyone ready for the final hunt.

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

144 ÷ 12 = ?

30 ÷ 6 = ?

40 ÷ 5 = ?

4 ÷ 2 = ?

12 ÷ 4 = ?

42 ÷ 6 = ?

2 ÷ 2 = ?

50 ÷ 5 = ?

11 ÷ 1 = ?

108 ÷ 12 = ?

66 ÷ 11 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain roared at the sky, then splashed mud with its boots.

2.The villain bashed through a wooden fence, then splashed mud with its boots.

3.The villain zoomed past the jeep, then shook its feathered crest.

4.The villain bashed through a wooden fence, then shook its feathered crest.

5.The villain slammed its giant tail, then activated its glowing collar.

6.The villain zoomed past the jeep, then flew off in a sparkly cape.

7.The villain zoomed past the jeep, then splashed mud with its boots.

8.The villain roared at the sky, then shook its feathered crest.

9.The villain leaped over the security wall, then flew off in a sparkly cape.

10.The villain roared at the sky, then flew off in a sparkly cape.

11.The villain roared at the sky, then activated its glowing collar.

12.The villain leaped over the security wall, then switched on its night goggles.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Dino-Reserve Escapade

Culprit: Buster (armor plating · feathered crest · right-clawed footprints · green scales · bright flashlights)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT WEAR A SPARKLY CAPE"
Round 293 to the nearest ten = 290 (T) · Round 5,243 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (W) · Round 2,922 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (E) · Round 31 to the nearest ten = 30 (H) · Round 2,318 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (C) · Round 234 to the nearest ten = 230 (D) · Round 67 to the nearest ten = 70 (Y) · Round 173 to the nearest ten = 170 (A) · Round 7,167 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (K) · Round 92 to the nearest ten = 90 (S) · Round 1,105 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (P) · Round 1,734 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (N) · Round 53 to the nearest ten = 50 (O) · Round 431 to the nearest ten = 430 (L) · Round 2,265 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (R) · Round 154 to the nearest hundred = 200 (V) · Round 898 to the nearest hundred = 900 (I)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE RIGHT CLAWS LEFT DEEP MARKS"
824 + 1878 = 2702 (T) · 928 + 1187 = 2115 (W) · 3405 + 2613 = 6018 (G) · 4871 + 3062 = 7933 (R) · 2648 + 4940 = 7588 (S) · 4284 + 2264 = 6548 (L) · 2397 + 4133 = 6530 (K) · 3260 + 5167 = 8427 (I) · 3127 + 1365 = 4492 (M) · 2032 + 1037 = 3069 (F) · 2840 + 1766 = 4606 (D) · 1210 + 1507 = 2717 (A) · 1902 + 3173 = 5075 (P) · 1866 + 2590 = 4456 (C) · 2576 + 5522 = 8098 (H) · 2052 + 1288 = 3340 (E)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "SHINING BRIGHT FLASHLIGHTS SCARED IT"
6743 - 1287 = 5456 (S) · 9153 - 352 = 8801 (L) · 7404 - 2258 = 5146 (F) · 3011 - 1230 = 1781 (T) · 11520 - 3584 = 7936 (C) · 6993 - 2339 = 4654 (B) · 10039 - 2021 = 8018 (N) · 8177 - 4445 = 3732 (D) · 9249 - 3765 = 5484 (H) · 7994 - 3682 = 4312 (I) · 2692 - 145 = 2547 (R) · 3232 - 1741 = 1491 (G) · 8792 - 2910 = 5882 (E) · 11769 - 4027 = 7742 (A)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND GREEN SCALES ON THE GATE"
5 × 2 = 10 (W) · 6 × 9 = 54 (O) · 9 × 12 = 108 (C) · 8 × 8 = 64 (T) · 11 × 3 = 33 (N) · 3 × 3 = 9 (G) · 11 × 1 = 11 (H) · 2 × 1 = 2 (F) · 9 × 11 = 99 (D) · 12 × 4 = 48 (R) · 12 × 11 = 132 (S) · 4 × 9 = 36 (L) · 5 × 5 = 25 (A) · 8 × 11 = 88 (U) · 4 × 3 = 12 (E)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Buster
144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 30 ÷ 6 = 5 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 4 ÷ 2 = 2 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 42 ÷ 6 = 7 · 2 ÷ 2 = 1 · 50 ÷ 5 = 10 · 11 ÷ 1 = 11 · 108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 4 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Dino-Reserve Escapade — set in the Prehistoric Dino-Reserve
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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