Grade 5Reading: grades 5-6RoundingFractions of a numberOrder of operationsMultiplicationDivision

The Golden Compass Caper

A daring thief has stolen the legendary Golden Compass right out of the Whispering Temple! The Chief Museum Curator needs your help to track down the suspect before they escape Isla Dorado forever. Use your math skills to decode the clues left behind on the jungle trail.

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	Escape Gear	Relic Power	Handedness	Hair Style	Fended Off By
Vasco	Glider Pack	Fire Crystal	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Loud Whistle
Drake	Grappling Hook	Sun Stone	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Clark	Glider Pack	Star Map	Left Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Loud Whistle
Raleigh	Glider Pack	Sun Stone	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Bright Flashlight
Nellie	Laser Cutter	Wind Whistle	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Amelia	Smoke Bomb	Star Map	Right Handed	Braided Red Hair	Bright Flashlight
Carter	Grappling Hook	Wind Whistle	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Magellan	Glider Pack	Fire Crystal	Left Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Bright Flashlight
Indiana	Decoy Drone	Fire Crystal	Left Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Bright Flashlight
Bingham	Laser Cutter	Fire Crystal	Left Handed	Braided Red Hair	Loud Whistle
Hudson	Laser Cutter	Fire Crystal	Left Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Loud Whistle
Livingstone	Glider Pack	Star Map	Left Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Bright Flashlight
Marco	Smoke Bomb	Sun Stone	Left Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Cousteau	Laser Cutter	Sun Stone	Right Handed	Braided Red Hair	Sneeze Powder
Cabot	Grappling Hook	Wind Whistle	Left Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Sneeze Powder
Solo	Glider Pack	Shadow Cloak	Right Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Bright Flashlight
Lewis	Grappling Hook	Wind Whistle	Right Handed	Spiky Blond Hair	Sneeze Powder
Bell	Grappling Hook	Sun Stone	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Loud Whistle
Jones	Decoy Drone	Shadow Cloak	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Earhart	Grappling Hook	Sun Stone	Left Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder
Finch	Grappling Hook	Fire Crystal	Right Handed	Curly Brown Hair	Sneeze Powder

Clue 1

Rounding

Our digital radar scanned the escape route but the distance readings were blurry. We rounded the kilometers to the nearest ten to pinpoint the first clue.

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

170

2000

2900

7000

4300

700

9000

3700

700

7000

170

2000

3000

130

170

2000

3000

700

7000

430

2900

3700

7000

3000

1700

Round 166 to the nearest tenT

Round 3,669 to the nearest hundredL

Round 4,279 to the nearest hundredU

Round 19 to the nearest tenN

Round 1,676 to the nearest hundredK

Round 7,487 to the nearest thousandO

Round 27 to the nearest tenE

Round 673 to the nearest hundredD

Round 3,393 to the nearest thousandA

Round 2,946 to the nearest hundredC

Round 128 to the nearest tenV

Round 2,383 to the nearest thousandH

Round 9,258 to the nearest thousandR

Round 46 to the nearest tenS

Round 426 to the nearest tenW

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Fractions of a number

A torn parchment lay on the muddy trail showing a fraction of the temple map. Calculating the exact meters remaining revealed where the thief dropped the next lead.

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

2/10 of 175 =F

1/6 of 198 =H

2/3 of 3 =I

1/6 of 78 =R

1/5 of 30 =G

3/8 of 24 =T

8/10 of 40 =W

1/6 of 48 =E

4/8 of 78 =P

2/5 of 55 =O

2/3 of 6 =N

2/3 of 27 =A

7/8 of 16 =S

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Order of operations

To open the heavy stone vault where the thief rested we faced an equation etched on the wall. Solving the steps in the correct order unlocked the clue.

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

1 + 4 × 2 =T

4 × 10 - 8 =F

8 × 11 - 18 =S

1 + 2 × 7 =N

7 × 10 - 29 =P

37 + 4 × 4 =E

7 × 3 - 2 =G

8 × 6 - 9 =M

2 × 10 - 10 =U

48 + 5 × 5 =Z

7 × 6 - 13 =O

8 × 5 - 15 =R

10 × 5 - 8 =H

9 × 8 - 7 =W

3 + 5 × 5 =D

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We found grids of supply crates abandoned by the fleeing suspect in the brush. Multiplying the rows of gear gave us the next clue about the thief.

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

100

120

110

5 × 4 =W

10 × 10 =Y

11 × 12 =F

1 × 1 =R

10 × 7 =C

9 × 10 =B

2 × 2 =T

5 × 1 =D

1 × 12 =H

10 × 11 =K

12 × 8 =O

8 × 4 =A

6 × 9 =U

5 × 2 =N

5 × 9 =L

12 × 10 =I

1 × 11 =E

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

At the edge of the jungle canyon we had to divide the safety ropes equally among our search team. Doing the division correctly led us straight to the final clue.

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

88 ÷ 11 = ?

36 ÷ 6 = ?

12 ÷ 1 = ?

60 ÷ 12 = ?

18 ÷ 9 = ?

14 ÷ 2 = ?

12 ÷ 12 = ?

11 ÷ 1 = ?

20 ÷ 5 = ?

18 ÷ 2 = ?

36 ÷ 12 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain soared from the high tower with a glider, then navigated the jungle trail with the star map.

2.The villain sliced through the metal vault with a laser, then navigated the jungle trail with the star map.

3.The villain soared from the high tower with a glider, then conjured a dust storm using the wind whistle.

4.The villain distracted the guards with a decoy drone, then blinded the pursuers using the sun stone.

5.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then slipped past the cameras using the shadow cloak.

6.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then melted the temple gate with the fire crystal.

7.The villain vanished in a thick cloud of smoke, then conjured a dust storm using the wind whistle.

8.The villain sliced through the metal vault with a laser, then conjured a dust storm using the wind whistle.

9.The villain soared from the high tower with a glider, then melted the temple gate with the fire crystal.

10.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then conjured a dust storm using the wind whistle.

11.The villain soared from the high tower with a glider, then slipped past the cameras using the shadow cloak.

12.The villain swung across the canyon with a grappling hook, then blinded the pursuers using the sun stone.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Golden Compass Caper

Culprit: Carter (Grappling Hook · Wind Whistle · Right Handed · Curly Brown Hair · Sneeze Powder)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE SCOUNDREL DOES NOT HAVE THE SHADOW CLOAK"
Round 166 to the nearest ten = 170 (T) · Round 3,669 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (L) · Round 4,279 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (U) · Round 19 to the nearest ten = 20 (N) · Round 1,676 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (K) · Round 7,487 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (O) · Round 27 to the nearest ten = 30 (E) · Round 673 to the nearest hundred = 700 (D) · Round 3,393 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (A) · Round 2,946 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (C) · Round 128 to the nearest ten = 130 (V) · Round 2,383 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (H) · Round 9,258 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (R) · Round 46 to the nearest ten = 50 (S) · Round 426 to the nearest ten = 430 (W)
Clue 2 (Fractions of a number): "FOOTPRINTS SHOW A STRONGER RIGHT FOOT"
2/10 of 175 = 35 (F) · 1/6 of 198 = 33 (H) · 2/3 of 3 = 2 (I) · 1/6 of 78 = 13 (R) · 1/5 of 30 = 6 (G) · 3/8 of 24 = 9 (T) · 8/10 of 40 = 32 (W) · 1/6 of 48 = 8 (E) · 4/8 of 78 = 39 (P) · 2/5 of 55 = 22 (O) · 2/3 of 6 = 4 (N) · 2/3 of 27 = 18 (A) · 7/8 of 16 = 14 (S)
Clue 3 (Order of operations): "THE ROGUE SNEEZED FROM THE POWDER"
1 + 4 × 2 = 9 (T) · 4 × 10 - 8 = 32 (F) · 8 × 11 - 18 = 70 (S) · 1 + 2 × 7 = 15 (N) · 7 × 10 - 29 = 41 (P) · 37 + 4 × 4 = 53 (E) · 7 × 3 - 2 = 19 (G) · 8 × 6 - 9 = 39 (M) · 2 × 10 - 10 = 10 (U) · 48 + 5 × 5 = 73 (Z) · 7 × 6 - 13 = 29 (O) · 8 × 5 - 15 = 25 (R) · 10 × 5 - 8 = 42 (H) · 9 × 8 - 7 = 65 (W) · 3 + 5 × 5 = 28 (D)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND CURLY BROWN HAIR ON THE LOCK"
5 × 4 = 20 (W) · 10 × 10 = 100 (Y) · 11 × 12 = 132 (F) · 1 × 1 = 1 (R) · 10 × 7 = 70 (C) · 9 × 10 = 90 (B) · 2 × 2 = 4 (T) · 5 × 1 = 5 (D) · 1 × 12 = 12 (H) · 10 × 11 = 110 (K) · 12 × 8 = 96 (O) · 8 × 4 = 32 (A) · 6 × 9 = 54 (U) · 5 × 2 = 10 (N) · 5 × 9 = 45 (L) · 12 × 10 = 120 (I) · 1 × 11 = 11 (E)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 10) → Carter
88 ÷ 11 = 8 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6 · 12 ÷ 1 = 12 · 60 ÷ 12 = 5 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 14 ÷ 2 = 7 · 12 ÷ 12 = 1 · 11 ÷ 1 = 11 · 20 ÷ 5 = 4 · 18 ÷ 2 = 9 · 36 ÷ 12 = 3

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Rounding, Fractions of a number, Order of operations, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Golden Compass Caper — set in The Whispering Temple of Isla Dorado
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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