🔎 MathGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Golden Protractor Caper

The Great Number Grid is in trouble! Someone stole the Golden Protractor from the Chief Equation Keeper. Without it, all the geometric shapes in the digital world are melting! A sneaky Glitch Bandit is behind this. Use your math detective skills to trace the clues, solve the equations, and capture the bandit!

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	Primary Math Power	Math Gear	Writing Hand	Glow Hair Color	Number Weakness
Ada Lovelace	algebra warp	ruler sword	right handed writer	sparkly pink hair	even numbers
George Boole	division blast	calculator glove	left handed writer	sparkly pink hair	even numbers
Rene Descartes	fraction beam	compass hook	left handed writer	sparkly pink hair	prime numbers
Pierre Fermat	division blast	ruler sword	left handed writer	neon green hair	prime numbers
Mary Jackson	division blast	graph boots	left handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Euclid	division blast	ruler sword	left handed writer	neon green hair	odd numbers
Hypatia	decimal strike	calculator glove	right handed writer	bright blue hair	even numbers
Blaise Pascal	fraction beam	ruler sword	right handed writer	sparkly pink hair	prime numbers
John Nash	decimal strike	digital abacus	right handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Alan Turing	algebra warp	graph boots	right handed writer	neon green hair	odd numbers
Katherine Johnson	division blast	graph boots	left handed writer	sparkly pink hair	odd numbers
Albert Einstein	addition shield	graph boots	left handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Archimedes	division blast	digital abacus	left handed writer	bright blue hair	even numbers
Sofia Kovalevskaya	addition shield	digital abacus	left handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Grace Hopper	decimal strike	digital abacus	left handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Leonhard Euler	division blast	compass hook	left handed writer	bright blue hair	prime numbers
Isaac Newton	decimal strike	calculator glove	left handed writer	sparkly pink hair	prime numbers
Emmy Noether	fraction beam	graph boots	left handed writer	neon green hair	prime numbers
Sophie Germain	algebra warp	graph boots	left handed writer	sparkly pink hair	even numbers
Carl Gauss	decimal strike	ruler sword	left handed writer	bright blue hair	odd numbers
Dorothy Vaughan	decimal strike	calculator glove	left handed writer	neon green hair	even numbers

Clue 1

Rounding

We scan the villain's escape pod, but the radar screen can only show rounded numbers. Estimate the total to read the screen!

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

9000

1300

1100

2900

700

2300

110

3000

9000

110

370

1100

430

2300

370

9000

430

1100

700

200

370

3700

500

700

430

1300

370

1700

Round 8,819 to the nearest thousandT

Round 2,853 to the nearest hundredB

Round 1,051 to the nearest hundredE

Round 3,428 to the nearest thousandI

Round 371 to the nearest tenO

Round 736 to the nearest hundredA

Round 114 to the nearest tenD

Round 2,340 to the nearest hundredN

Round 47 to the nearest tenU

Round 532 to the nearest hundredP

Round 1,748 to the nearest hundredK

Round 1,294 to the nearest hundredH

Round 430 to the nearest tenS

Round 209 to the nearest hundredC

Round 3,677 to the nearest hundredM

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

To unlock the grid gate, we must add up the total number of security nodes. Count them carefully to get the key!

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

8306

6716

4538

9187

6876

9187

2655

4538

5015

8306

8674

7733

5025

8306

4538

9187

8674

5025

8306

6716

8306

6716

4538

5025

7733

6481

4538

2127

8306

6716

9874

8935

8535

3662 + 4644 =T

4249 + 2627 =U

2359 + 2656 =C

5533 + 3002 =D

3134 + 1404 =E

3526 + 2955 =L

4832 + 2901 =R

1651 + 1004 =P

4343 + 4592 =N

1197 + 930 =F

4681 + 3993 =W

5260 + 4614 =A

4510 + 4677 =S

2876 + 2149 =I

4487 + 2229 =H

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

The bandit dropped a bag of glowing pixels, but some are missing. Subtract the lost pixels to find out how many are left!

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

5797

1609

3436

3843

8596

3436

5377

1473

3069

7458

8596

3843

6155

3069

1606

2946

5865

3069

3085

2946

3436

8596

7458

2946

5482

3436

3069

3843

8586 - 2789 =T

4527 - 3054 =K

5920 - 55 =P

6648 - 2805 =S

10129 - 4647 =B

4090 - 2481 =H

4675 - 1729 =M

3868 - 432 =E

3484 - 399 =I

7987 - 529 =U

2117 - 511 =O

6563 - 3494 =R

9892 - 3737 =F

11988 - 3392 =N

9078 - 3701 =A

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We find a clue hidden behind a wall of math tiles. Count the rows and columns to multiply the total and unlock it!

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

120

121

100

108

100

108

100

4 × 4 =W

10 × 10 =R

5 × 4 =A

9 × 9 =E

12 × 8 =U

8 × 1 =I

7 × 6 =O

10 × 12 =F

12 × 7 =L

5 × 11 =D

5 × 5 =H

7 × 8 =B

9 × 12 =T

11 × 11 =N

3 × 1 =G

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We must share these puzzle clues equally among our team. Split them up to decode the final piece of the mystery!

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

35 ÷ 5 = ?

18 ÷ 2 = ?

10 ÷ 5 = ?

24 ÷ 3 = ?

6 ÷ 6 = ?

50 ÷ 10 = ?

96 ÷ 8 = ?

33 ÷ 11 = ?

110 ÷ 11 = ?

30 ÷ 5 = ?

33 ÷ 3 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain slices the locks with a fraction beam, then escapes across coordinates using graph boots.

2.The villain blocks the path with an addition shield, then rewrites the database with a digital abacus.

3.The villain breaks down the vault with a division blast, then snatches the prize with a compass hook.

4.The villain breaks down the vault with a division blast, then escapes across coordinates using graph boots.

5.The villain teleports away using an algebra warp, then snatches the prize with a compass hook.

6.The villain slices the locks with a fraction beam, then rewrites the database with a digital abacus.

7.The villain blocks the path with an addition shield, then escapes across coordinates using graph boots.

8.The villain cracks the firewall with a decimal strike, then escapes across coordinates using graph boots.

9.The villain cracks the firewall with a decimal strike, then rewrites the database with a digital abacus.

10.The villain cracks the firewall with a decimal strike, then types in a virus with a calculator glove.

11.The villain cracks the firewall with a decimal strike, then snatches the prize with a compass hook.

12.The villain teleports away using an algebra warp, then types in a virus with a calculator glove.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Golden Protractor Caper

Culprit: Mary Jackson (division blast · graph boots · left handed writer · bright blue hair · prime numbers)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A COMPASS HOOK"
Round 8,819 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (T) · Round 2,853 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (B) · Round 1,051 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (E) · Round 3,428 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (I) · Round 371 to the nearest ten = 370 (O) · Round 736 to the nearest hundred = 700 (A) · Round 114 to the nearest ten = 110 (D) · Round 2,340 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (N) · Round 47 to the nearest ten = 50 (U) · Round 532 to the nearest hundred = 500 (P) · Round 1,748 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (K) · Round 1,294 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (H) · Round 430 to the nearest ten = 430 (S) · Round 209 to the nearest hundred = 200 (C) · Round 3,677 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (M)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE SUSPECT WRITES WITH THEIR LEFT HAND"
3662 + 4644 = 8306 (T) · 4249 + 2627 = 6876 (U) · 2359 + 2656 = 5015 (C) · 5533 + 3002 = 8535 (D) · 3134 + 1404 = 4538 (E) · 3526 + 2955 = 6481 (L) · 4832 + 2901 = 7733 (R) · 1651 + 1004 = 2655 (P) · 4343 + 4592 = 8935 (N) · 1197 + 930 = 2127 (F) · 4681 + 3993 = 8674 (W) · 5260 + 4614 = 9874 (A) · 4510 + 4677 = 9187 (S) · 2876 + 2149 = 5025 (I) · 4487 + 2229 = 6716 (H)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE SNEAK RUNS FROM PRIME NUMBERS"
8586 - 2789 = 5797 (T) · 4527 - 3054 = 1473 (K) · 5920 - 55 = 5865 (P) · 6648 - 2805 = 3843 (S) · 10129 - 4647 = 5482 (B) · 4090 - 2481 = 1609 (H) · 4675 - 1729 = 2946 (M) · 3868 - 432 = 3436 (E) · 3484 - 399 = 3085 (I) · 7987 - 529 = 7458 (U) · 2117 - 511 = 1606 (O) · 6563 - 3494 = 3069 (R) · 9892 - 3737 = 6155 (F) · 11988 - 3392 = 8596 (N) · 9078 - 3701 = 5377 (A)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND BRIGHT BLUE HAIR AT THE GRID"
4 × 4 = 16 (W) · 10 × 10 = 100 (R) · 5 × 4 = 20 (A) · 9 × 9 = 81 (E) · 12 × 8 = 96 (U) · 8 × 1 = 8 (I) · 7 × 6 = 42 (O) · 10 × 12 = 120 (F) · 12 × 7 = 84 (L) · 5 × 11 = 55 (D) · 5 × 5 = 25 (H) · 7 × 8 = 56 (B) · 9 × 12 = 108 (T) · 11 × 11 = 121 (N) · 3 × 1 = 3 (G)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Mary Jackson
35 ÷ 5 = 7 · 18 ÷ 2 = 9 · 10 ÷ 5 = 2 · 24 ÷ 3 = 8 · 6 ÷ 6 = 1 · 50 ÷ 10 = 5 · 96 ÷ 8 = 12 · 33 ÷ 11 = 3 · 110 ÷ 11 = 10 · 30 ÷ 5 = 6 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 4 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Golden Protractor Caper — set in The Great Number Grid
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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