Grade 8Reading: grades 7-9Place valueBar modelsRoundingSkip countingMissing addends
The Golden Astrolabe Heist
The legendary Golden Astrolabe has been stolen from the Grand Archives of Solaria! This ancient device keeps the floating islands from drifting into the great storm below. A notorious Sky-Bandit must have slipped past the brass steam-sentries. We must analyze the evidence to catch them.
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 | Signature Gear | Sky-Gadget | Flight Style | Scarf Color | Daring Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine de Saint-Exupery | Wind Whistle | Pocket Radar | Left-Handed Turn | Sapphire Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Laura Dekker | Steam Blaster | Zip Harpoon | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Sacagawea | Steam Blaster | Smoke Pellets | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Jacques Cousteau | Brass Compass | Flash Flare | Right-Handed Turn | Sapphire Scarf | Loud Whistles |
| Wilbur Wright | Brass Compass | Smoke Pellets | Right-Handed Turn | Emerald Scarf | Loud Whistles |
| Jeanne Baret | Glider Pack | Zip Harpoon | Left-Handed Turn | Emerald Scarf | Ticklish Feathers |
| Orville Wright | Grappling Hook | Flash Flare | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Steve Fossett | Wind Whistle | Magnetic Boots | Left-Handed Turn | Emerald Scarf | Loud Whistles |
| James Cook | Wind Whistle | Flash Flare | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Nellie Bly | Steam Blaster | Magnetic Boots | Left-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Sally Ride | Grappling Hook | Flash Flare | Left-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Loud Whistles |
| Baron von Richthofen | Steam Blaster | Flash Flare | Left-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Wiley Post | Steam Blaster | Magnetic Boots | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Ticklish Feathers |
| Matthew Henson | Wind Whistle | Magnetic Boots | Left-Handed Turn | Emerald Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Harriet Quimby | Wind Whistle | Flash Flare | Right-Handed Turn | Sapphire Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Marco Polo | Glider Pack | Smoke Pellets | Right-Handed Turn | Emerald Scarf | Ticklish Feathers |
| Charles Lindbergh | Grappling Hook | Smoke Pellets | Left-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Isabella Bird | Brass Compass | Smoke Pellets | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Bessie Coleman | Wind Whistle | Flash Flare | Right-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Ticklish Feathers |
| Yuri Gagarin | Grappling Hook | Flash Flare | Left-Handed Turn | Sapphire Scarf | Bright Lanterns |
| Valentina Tereshkova | Glider Pack | Pocket Radar | Left-Handed Turn | Crimson Scarf | Loud Whistles |
Clue 1
Place value
We found a torn blueprint comparing the weight of the airship's cargo holds. By representing the weights as blocks, we can figure out the mystery ship's true weight.
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
2000
5000
7000
40
10
200
1000
20
T
2000
1000
600
7000
300
200
600
T
2000
800
300
7000
10
500
20
80
5000
10
90
80
600
600
200
What is the value of the 2 in 72,770?T
What is the value of the 6 in 334,639?O
What is the value of the 4 in 50,649?B
What is the value of the 1 in 79,415?A
What is the value of the 8 in 341,801?U
What is the value of the 7 in 37,455?E
What is the value of the 8 in 21,984?P
What is the value of the 2 in 914,021?I
What is the value of the 9 in 34,494?R
What is the value of the 3 in 47,328?S
What is the value of the 5 in 385,688?H
What is the value of the 1 in 51,778?D
What is the value of the 5 in 796,592?Z
What is the value of the 2 in 49,265?N
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Bar model word problems
A locked brass keypad stands in our way. Its gears shift based on the values of the hundreds and thousands places in the lock's security code.
Draw a bar model to solve each word problem. Its answer reveals a letter — write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Awitnesssawthevillainwas .
R
98
92
36
142
79
142
82
127
D
E
D
79
U
R
98
127
Quartermaster Finneas shares 196 wind crystals equally among 2 teams. How many wind crystals does each team get?
draw a bar model
Answer:→R
One group collected 28 brass spyglasses and another group collected 8 brass spyglasses. How many brass spyglasses in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→G
There were 111 brass spyglasses in all. 29 brass spyglasses were used. How many brass spyglasses are left?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
There were 121 brass spyglasses in all. 29 brass spyglasses were used. How many brass spyglasses are left?
draw a bar model
Answer:→I
Quartermaster Finneas has 158 skyship gears, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→T
One group collected 7 wind crystals and another group collected 120 wind crystals. How many wind crystals in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→N
The red team has 163 brass spyglasses and the blue team has 21 brass spyglasses. How many more brass spyglasses does the red team have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→H
0/7 letters found
Clue 3
Rounding
Our steam-radar can track the pirate's flight path, but the atmospheric interference forces us to round the distance readings to the nearest hundred miles.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
20
200
1700
1700
170
3000
500
370
50
130
7000
1300
3700
50
130
7000
1300
500
3700
50
3000
1700
S
20
1300
7000
50
S
20
4300
50
3700
3700
1100
50
3000
Round 23 to the nearest tenS
Round 457 to the nearest hundredB
Round 1,730 to the nearest hundredD
Round 47 to the nearest tenI
Round 3,727 to the nearest hundredL
Round 1,073 to the nearest hundredA
Round 173 to the nearest tenE
Round 196 to the nearest hundredU
Round 6,994 to the nearest thousandH
Round 2,894 to the nearest thousandN
Round 127 to the nearest tenG
Round 4,285 to the nearest hundredV
Round 373 to the nearest tenR
Round 1,253 to the nearest hundredT
0/14 letters found
Clue 4
Skip counting
The escape route is marked by glowing fuel canisters dropped at regular intervals. Counting them by sevens reveals the coordinate of their secret hangar.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
R
21
90
22
16
130
R
21
90
30
22
33
55
90
R
21
90
33
25
30
50
50
90
22
42
25
16
130
90
R
21
40
50
50
40
25
50
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, ___, 24, 27R
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, ___, 60, 65W
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, ___, 24, 26D
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, ___, 33, 36A
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, ___, 18, 20T
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, ___, 140, 150H
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48O
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35N
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, ___, 36, 39S
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, ___, 45, 50I
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110E
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, ___, 55, 60G
0/12 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
The airship's fuel tank must be filled to exactly one thousand gallons to fly. We know how much they have, so we must calculate the missing amount.
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
17 + ___ = 27
15 + ___ = 20
23 + ___ = 30
31 + ___ = 34
7 + ___ = 16
29 + ___ = 33
19 + ___ = 25
31 + ___ = 43
4 + ___ = 6
14 + ___ = 25
38 + ___ = 46
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain swung through the high clouds with a grappling hook, then blinded the night watchmen with a flash flare.
2.The villain swung through the high clouds with a grappling hook, then dodged the patrol drones using a pocket radar.
3.The villain soared silently across the canyon on a glider pack, then blinded the night watchmen with a flash flare.
4.The villain soared silently across the canyon on a glider pack, then escaped behind a thick wall of smoke pellets.
5.The villain summoned a localized gale with a wind whistle, then blinded the night watchmen with a flash flare.
6.The villain navigated the treacherous winds using a brass compass, then zipped up to the escape balloon with a zip harpoon.
7.The villain navigated the treacherous winds using a brass compass, then escaped behind a thick wall of smoke pellets.
8.The villain summoned a localized gale with a wind whistle, then zipped up to the escape balloon with a zip harpoon.
9.The villain soared silently across the canyon on a glider pack, then scaled the metallic sheer walls using magnetic boots.
10.The villain blasted through the vault doors with a steam blaster, then escaped behind a thick wall of smoke pellets.
11.The villain summoned a localized gale with a wind whistle, then escaped behind a thick wall of smoke pellets.
12.The villain summoned a localized gale with a wind whistle, then scaled the metallic sheer walls using magnetic boots.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Golden Astrolabe Heist
Culprit: Orville Wright (Grappling Hook · Flash Flare · Right-Handed Turn · Crimson Scarf · Bright Lanterns)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A ZIP HARPOON"What is the value of the 2 in 72,770? = 2000 (T) · What is the value of the 6 in 334,639? = 600 (O) · What is the value of the 4 in 50,649? = 40 (B) · What is the value of the 1 in 79,415? = 10 (A) · What is the value of the 8 in 341,801? = 800 (U) · What is the value of the 7 in 37,455? = 7000 (E) · What is the value of the 8 in 21,984? = 80 (P) · What is the value of the 2 in 914,021? = 20 (I) · What is the value of the 9 in 34,494? = 90 (R) · What is the value of the 3 in 47,328? = 300 (S) · What is the value of the 5 in 385,688? = 5000 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 51,778? = 1000 (D) · What is the value of the 5 in 796,592? = 500 (Z) · What is the value of the 2 in 49,265? = 200 (N)
- Clue 2 (Bar model word problems): "RIGHT HANDED TURN"Quartermaster Finneas shares 196 wind crystals equally among 2 teams. How many wind crystals does each team get? = 98 (R) · One group collected 28 brass spyglasses and another group collected 8 brass spyglasses. How many brass spyglasses in all? = 36 (G) · There were 111 brass spyglasses in all. 29 brass spyglasses were used. How many brass spyglasses are left? = 82 (A) · There were 121 brass spyglasses in all. 29 brass spyglasses were used. How many brass spyglasses are left? = 92 (I) · Quartermaster Finneas has 158 skyship gears, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 79 (T) · One group collected 7 wind crystals and another group collected 120 wind crystals. How many wind crystals in all? = 127 (N) · The red team has 163 brass spyglasses and the blue team has 21 brass spyglasses. How many more brass spyglasses does the red team have? = 142 (H)
- Clue 3 (Rounding): "SUDDEN BRIGHT LIGHT BLINDS THIS VILLAIN"Round 23 to the nearest ten = 20 (S) · Round 457 to the nearest hundred = 500 (B) · Round 1,730 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (D) · Round 47 to the nearest ten = 50 (I) · Round 3,727 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (L) · Round 1,073 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (A) · Round 173 to the nearest ten = 170 (E) · Round 196 to the nearest hundred = 200 (U) · Round 6,994 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (H) · Round 2,894 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (N) · Round 127 to the nearest ten = 130 (G) · Round 4,285 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (V) · Round 373 to the nearest ten = 370 (R) · Round 1,253 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (T)
- Clue 4 (Skip counting): "RED THREADS WERE SNAGGED ON THE RIGGING"Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, ___, 24, 27 = 21 (R) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, ___, 60, 65 = 55 (W) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, ___, 24, 26 = 22 (D) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, ___, 33, 36 = 30 (A) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, ___, 18, 20 = 16 (T) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, ___, 140, 150 = 130 (H) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48 = 42 (O) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35 = 25 (N) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, ___, 36, 39 = 33 (S) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, ___, 45, 50 = 40 (I) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110 = 90 (E) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, ___, 55, 60 = 50 (G)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 1) → Orville Wright17 + ___ = 27 = 10 · 15 + ___ = 20 = 5 · 23 + ___ = 30 = 7 · 31 + ___ = 34 = 3 · 7 + ___ = 16 = 9 · 29 + ___ = 33 = 4 · 19 + ___ = 25 = 6 · 31 + ___ = 43 = 12 · 4 + ___ = 6 = 2 · 14 + ___ = 25 = 11 · 38 + ___ = 46 = 8
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 8 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Bar models, Rounding, Skip counting, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Golden Astrolabe Heist — set in The floating islands of the Solaria Archipelago, high above the clouds.
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects