🦕 DinosaursGrade 10Reading: grades 7-9AdditionSubtractionFractions of a numberWord problemsMissing addends

The Dinosaur Vault Heist

A rare, intact obsidian Velociraptor skull has vanished from the high-security vault at Raptor Valley Research Outpost. The culprit left behind a trail of prehistoric chaos and cloned dinosaur tracks.

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	cloned companion dino	stolen field gear	accessory choice	safety helmet color	fearsome distraction
Xu Xing	baby triceratops	fossil extraction drill	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Luis Alvarez	pygmy ankylosaurus	amber plasma torch	tinted visor	bright yellow helmet	loud airhorn blast
Paul Sereno	trained pterodactyl	amber plasma torch	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Edward Cope	pygmy ankylosaurus	cryo specimen jar	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Peter Dodson	tame microraptor	seismic ground scanner	tinted visor	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Robert Bakker	baby triceratops	seismic ground scanner	clear safety goggles	bright yellow helmet	loud airhorn blast
Anesu Karera	trained pterodactyl	amber plasma torch	clear safety goggles	bright yellow helmet	loud airhorn blast
John Ostrom	baby triceratops	carbon dating laser	tinted visor	bright yellow helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Lawrence Lambe	baby triceratops	seismic ground scanner	tinted visor	matte black helmet	loud airhorn blast
Karen Chin	tame microraptor	carbon dating laser	clear safety goggles	bright yellow helmet	strong herbal repellant
Philip Currie	tame microraptor	fossil extraction drill	clear safety goggles	neon orange helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Patricia Vickers	t-rex hatchling	carbon dating laser	tinted visor	matte black helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Dong Zhiming	baby triceratops	cryo specimen jar	tinted visor	bright yellow helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Roy Andrews	tame microraptor	seismic ground scanner	clear safety goggles	bright yellow helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Mary Anning	tame microraptor	amber plasma torch	tinted visor	matte black helmet	loud airhorn blast
Susan Hendrickx	pygmy ankylosaurus	carbon dating laser	tinted visor	matte black helmet	shining ultraviolet light
Charles Sternberg	t-rex hatchling	cryo specimen jar	tinted visor	neon orange helmet	loud airhorn blast
Thomas Holtz	t-rex hatchling	seismic ground scanner	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Jack Horner	tame microraptor	cryo specimen jar	clear safety goggles	bright yellow helmet	loud airhorn blast
Steve Brusatte	tame microraptor	cryo specimen jar	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	strong herbal repellant
Othniel Marsh	pygmy ankylosaurus	fossil extraction drill	clear safety goggles	matte black helmet	shining ultraviolet light

Clue 1

Addition

The security team added up the count of disturbed raptor nests around the compound to map the thief's entry 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.

7423

2970

2269

2523

9526

2439

8492

8614

4234

7423

2439

4775

2523

3901

9810

7423

2970

2269

4775

5424

9221

2269

8614

8492

2439

4775

9810

5424

4775

7423

2363

8614

2523

2970

4182 + 3241 =T

1694 + 829 =C

4999 + 3493 =P

2504 + 1730 =I

1769 + 3655 =M

3457 + 5764 =B

5129 + 4397 =U

4215 + 5595 =S

3707 + 4907 =R

1236 + 1033 =E

1411 + 1028 =L

1540 + 823 =O

2426 + 2349 =A

1188 + 1782 =H

1402 + 2499 =K

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Subtraction

To find where the rogue agent hid, we subtracted the weight of the recovered fossils from the total weight of the stolen shipment.

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

7089

1608

4839

4118

3686

4118

5838

4839

2562

7089

7549

3844

3056

4839

2562

7419

4839

2245

3056

4118

2245

1360

4839

7089

3316

1557

3844

1557

7419

4839

4118

7649 - 560 =T

4913 - 795 =S

2722 - 160 =C

9569 - 4730 =E

9994 - 4156 =P

2895 - 1535 =F

5501 - 3944 =G

5144 - 3536 =H

6100 - 2414 =U

8136 - 717 =L

10673 - 3124 =W

6746 - 3690 =R

4906 - 1062 =O

4268 - 2023 =A

5790 - 2474 =Y

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Fractions of a number

The lab technician analyzed a fraction of the soil samples gathered from the footprint left in the fossil preparation room.

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

4/6 of 54 =T

6/10 of 65 =N

3/4 of 40 =F

2/4 of 74 =H

6/8 of 80 =D

3/5 of 15 =E

2/4 of 28 =P

2/3 of 18 =L

1/4 of 140 =A

2/8 of 196 =R

8/10 of 50 =G

5/10 of 20 =B

3/5 of 80 =S

1/3 of 78 =O

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Word problems

By solving the puzzle of the dinosaur feeding schedules, our trackers calculated the exact hour the perimeter fence was breached.

Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.

Astrandof

101

hairturnedupatthescene.

Ranger Davis lined up 4 rows of 4 amber chunks. How many amber chunks in all?M

Ranger Davis found 21 amber chunks yesterday and 31 more today. How many amber chunks in all?E

There were 92 plaster casts. 28 were used up. How many plaster casts are left?B

There were 61 amber chunks. 25 were used up. How many amber chunks are left?T

There were 117 amber chunks. 29 were used up. How many amber chunks are left?C

Ranger Davis found 15 plaster casts yesterday and 86 more today. How many plaster casts in all?A

There were 77 plaster casts. 18 were used up. How many plaster casts are left?L

0/7 letters found

Clue 5

Missing addends — the last clue

The team realized that several supply crates were unaccounted for, leaving a gap in the camp inventory we had to calculate.

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

1 + ___ = 7

8 + ___ = 18

30 + ___ = 34

31 + ___ = 33

29 + ___ = 40

9 + ___ = 17

20 + ___ = 29

14 + ___ = 15

37 + ___ = 49

37 + ___ = 44

23 + ___ = 26

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain deployed a pygmy ankylosaurus, then then used a seismic ground scanner to escape.

2.The villain sent in a baby triceratops, then then melted the vault lock with an amber plasma torch.

3.The villain commanded a tame microraptor, then then used a seismic ground scanner to escape.

4.The villain unleashed a t-rex hatchling, then then used a seismic ground scanner to escape.

5.The villain commanded a tame microraptor, then then stored the fossil in a cryo specimen jar.

6.The villain sent in a baby triceratops, then then hotwired a fossil extraction drill.

7.The villain sent in a baby triceratops, then then stored the fossil in a cryo specimen jar.

8.The villain deployed a pygmy ankylosaurus, then then melted the vault lock with an amber plasma torch.

9.The villain sent in a baby triceratops, then then used a seismic ground scanner to escape.

10.The villain deployed a pygmy ankylosaurus, then then stored the fossil in a cryo specimen jar.

11.The villain directed a trained pterodactyl, then then melted the vault lock with an amber plasma torch.

12.The villain unleashed a t-rex hatchling, then then hotwired a fossil extraction drill.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Dinosaur Vault Heist

Culprit: Steve Brusatte (tame microraptor · cryo specimen jar · clear safety goggles · matte black helmet · strong herbal repellant)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE CULPRIT LACKS THE AMBER PLASMA TORCH"
4182 + 3241 = 7423 (T) · 1694 + 829 = 2523 (C) · 4999 + 3493 = 8492 (P) · 2504 + 1730 = 4234 (I) · 1769 + 3655 = 5424 (M) · 3457 + 5764 = 9221 (B) · 5129 + 4397 = 9526 (U) · 4215 + 5595 = 9810 (S) · 3707 + 4907 = 8614 (R) · 1236 + 1033 = 2269 (E) · 1411 + 1028 = 2439 (L) · 1540 + 823 = 2363 (O) · 2426 + 2349 = 4775 (A) · 1188 + 1782 = 2970 (H) · 1402 + 2499 = 3901 (K)
Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SUSPECT WORE CLEAR SAFETY GOGGLES"
7649 - 560 = 7089 (T) · 4913 - 795 = 4118 (S) · 2722 - 160 = 2562 (C) · 9569 - 4730 = 4839 (E) · 9994 - 4156 = 5838 (P) · 2895 - 1535 = 1360 (F) · 5501 - 3944 = 1557 (G) · 5144 - 3536 = 1608 (H) · 6100 - 2414 = 3686 (U) · 8136 - 717 = 7419 (L) · 10673 - 3124 = 7549 (W) · 6746 - 3690 = 3056 (R) · 4906 - 1062 = 3844 (O) · 4268 - 2023 = 2245 (A) · 5790 - 2474 = 3316 (Y)
Clue 3 (Fractions of a number): "THE TARGET FLED STRONG HERBAL REPELLANT"
4/6 of 54 = 36 (T) · 6/10 of 65 = 39 (N) · 3/4 of 40 = 30 (F) · 2/4 of 74 = 37 (H) · 6/8 of 80 = 60 (D) · 3/5 of 15 = 9 (E) · 2/4 of 28 = 14 (P) · 2/3 of 18 = 12 (L) · 1/4 of 140 = 35 (A) · 2/8 of 196 = 49 (R) · 8/10 of 50 = 40 (G) · 5/10 of 20 = 10 (B) · 3/5 of 80 = 48 (S) · 1/3 of 78 = 26 (O)
Clue 4 (Word problems): "MATTE BLACK HELMET"
Ranger Davis lined up 4 rows of 4 amber chunks. How many amber chunks in all? = 16 (M) · Ranger Davis found 21 amber chunks yesterday and 31 more today. How many amber chunks in all? = 52 (E) · There were 92 plaster casts. 28 were used up. How many plaster casts are left? = 64 (B) · There were 61 amber chunks. 25 were used up. How many amber chunks are left? = 36 (T) · There were 117 amber chunks. 29 were used up. How many amber chunks are left? = 88 (C) · Ranger Davis found 15 plaster casts yesterday and 86 more today. How many plaster casts in all? = 101 (A) · There were 77 plaster casts. 18 were used up. How many plaster casts are left? = 59 (L)
Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 5) → Steve Brusatte
1 + ___ = 7 = 6 · 8 + ___ = 18 = 10 · 30 + ___ = 34 = 4 · 31 + ___ = 33 = 2 · 29 + ___ = 40 = 11 · 9 + ___ = 17 = 8 · 20 + ___ = 29 = 9 · 14 + ___ = 15 = 1 · 37 + ___ = 49 = 12 · 37 + ___ = 44 = 7 · 23 + ___ = 26 = 3

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 10 math
Math topics: Addition, Subtraction, Fractions of a number, Word problems, Missing addends
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Dinosaur Vault Heist — set in Raptor Valley Research Outpost
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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