🔎 The great capacity caperGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6Fractions of a numberMultiplicationRoundingOrder of operations

The Great Capacity Caper

A sneaky saboteur has invaded the world-famous Fizz-O-Matic Juice Lab! They scrambled all the capacity labels on the giant mixing tanks, threatening to flood the city with sticky neon punch. We must calculate the correct volumes to restore order and catch the culprit before the grand opening!

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	Blender Power	Secret Ingredient	Dominant Hand	Hair Evidence	Clean Up Tool
Vince Valve	funnel vortex	sour powder	left-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Bella Blender	syrup spray	sweet crystals	right-handed pouring	slicked hair	soap bubbles
Mason Measurement	syrup spray	fizz drops	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Gus Gallon	flask freeze	neon dye	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Professor Pour	carbonation blast	heavy yeast	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	plain water
Fiona Fizz	funnel vortex	heavy yeast	right-handed pouring	curly hair	sponge wipe
Walter Water	stream beam	neon dye	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Pip Pippermint	syrup spray	fizz drops	left-handed pouring	slicked hair	sponge wipe
Sloane Splash	flask freeze	sweet crystals	right-handed pouring	slicked hair	sponge wipe
Sally Syrup	syrup spray	fizz drops	right-handed pouring	curly hair	soap bubbles
Quincy Quart	carbonation blast	fizz drops	left-handed pouring	curly hair	plain water
Celia Cylinder	flask freeze	fizz drops	left-handed pouring	spiky hair	soap bubbles
Beaker Bob	flask freeze	sour powder	right-handed pouring	slicked hair	plain water
Sammy Squeeze	funnel vortex	heavy yeast	left-handed pouring	spiky hair	plain water
Clara Cup	carbonation blast	neon dye	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Milton Milliliter	carbonation blast	heavy yeast	right-handed pouring	slicked hair	soap bubbles
Gemma Gush	syrup spray	sour powder	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Penny Pint	carbonation blast	sweet crystals	left-handed pouring	curly hair	plain water
Barnaby Bubbles	stream beam	sweet crystals	left-handed pouring	spiky hair	sponge wipe
Dexter Dilute	syrup spray	heavy yeast	right-handed pouring	spiky hair	plain water
Lulu Liter	carbonation blast	neon dye	left-handed pouring	spiky hair	plain water

Clue 1

Fractions of a number

To find the thief's escape route, we must calculate a fraction of the total gallon tanks that were tampered with last night.

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

1/6 of 138 =T

1/4 of 124 =U

3/4 of 52 =P

3/8 of 56 =D

1/6 of 30 =Z

2/4 of 80 =C

4/5 of 25 =N

2/6 of 51 =H

2/6 of 111 =O

2/6 of 96 =S

3/4 of 36 =I

2/10 of 35 =E

3/5 of 30 =L

1/3 of 75 =R

1/2 of 56 =F

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The thief left a trail of identical spilled juice boxes. We can find the total volume lost by multiplying the rows by the boxes in each row.

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

7 × 5 =R

6 × 9 =N

10 × 8 =W

9 × 9 =P

3 × 12 =S

2 × 7 =O

8 × 12 =H

6 × 3 =I

4 × 11 =D

8 × 9 =G

1 × 1 =E

6 × 10 =L

11 × 5 =A

10 × 1 =U

6 × 7 =T

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Rounding

A damaged pressure gauge on Vat Four only shows estimated numbers, so we have to round the final liter reading to the nearest ten to unlock the logbook.

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

2300

2900

170

7000

1700

130

9000

4300

2900

130

370

2300

130

700

5000

130

4300

370

2900

170

9000

130

370

Round 2,262 to the nearest hundredS

Round 2,912 to the nearest hundredP

Round 4,313 to the nearest hundredI

Round 134 to the nearest tenE

Round 54 to the nearest tenD

Round 9,135 to the nearest thousandW

Round 7,384 to the nearest thousandN

Round 1,748 to the nearest hundredG

Round 4,738 to the nearest thousandH

Round 174 to the nearest tenO

Round 29 to the nearest tenA

Round 374 to the nearest tenR

Round 715 to the nearest hundredT

0/13 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

We found a torn scrap of paper with the thief's secret recipe steps. Solve the equation in the correct order of operations to find the code.

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

6 × 8 - 15 =S

3 + 5 × 5 =T

60 + 4 × 3 =L

3 × 8 - 14 =C

6 × 11 - 30 =E

4 × 12 - 14 =F

5 + 2 × 2 =A

11 × 9 - 20 =P

12 + 9 × 5 =K

31 + 5 × 3 =R

20 + 2 × 2 =I

12 × 4 - 10 =N

39 + 7 × 2 =B

27 + 2 × 9 =Y

9 × 9 - 23 =H

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Fractions of a number — the last clue

Only a fraction of the original flavor syrup remains in the giant beaker. Figure out how many milliliters are left to trace where the thief went next.

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

1/6 of 48 = ?

7/8 of 8 = ?

2/8 of 44 = ?

3/4 of 12 = ?

1/8 of 8 = ?

5/10 of 8 = ?

3/4 of 16 = ?

2/4 of 10 = ?

2/5 of 25 = ?

1/10 of 30 = ?

5/10 of 4 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain overfilled the mixing vat, then stole the master beaker.

2.The villain swapped the liter labels, then fled through the drainage duct.

3.The villain diluted the secret formula, then splashed sticky foam everywhere.

4.The villain clogged the intake pipe, then scrambled the pressure dials.

5.The villain drained the main reserve, then fled through the drainage duct.

6.The villain swapped the liter labels, then splashed sticky foam everywhere.

7.The villain overfilled the mixing vat, then splashed sticky foam everywhere.

8.The villain drained the main reserve, then stole the master beaker.

9.The villain swapped the liter labels, then stole the master beaker.

10.The villain clogged the intake pipe, then dropped a wet measuring cup.

11.The villain clogged the intake pipe, then splashed sticky foam everywhere.

12.The villain drained the main reserve, then dropped a wet measuring cup.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Great Capacity Caper

Culprit: Walter Water (stream beam · neon dye · right-handed pouring · spiky hair · sponge wipe)

Clue 1 (Fractions of a number): "THE CULPRIT DOES NOT USE FIZZ DROPS"
1/6 of 138 = 23 (T) · 1/4 of 124 = 31 (U) · 3/4 of 52 = 39 (P) · 3/8 of 56 = 21 (D) · 1/6 of 30 = 5 (Z) · 2/4 of 80 = 40 (C) · 4/5 of 25 = 20 (N) · 2/6 of 51 = 17 (H) · 2/6 of 111 = 37 (O) · 2/6 of 96 = 32 (S) · 3/4 of 36 = 27 (I) · 2/10 of 35 = 7 (E) · 3/5 of 30 = 18 (L) · 1/3 of 75 = 25 (R) · 1/2 of 56 = 28 (F)
Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "RIGHT HANDED SPOUT PATTERN ON WALL"
7 × 5 = 35 (R) · 6 × 9 = 54 (N) · 10 × 8 = 80 (W) · 9 × 9 = 81 (P) · 3 × 12 = 36 (S) · 2 × 7 = 14 (O) · 8 × 12 = 96 (H) · 6 × 3 = 18 (I) · 4 × 11 = 44 (D) · 8 × 9 = 72 (G) · 1 × 1 = 1 (E) · 6 × 10 = 60 (L) · 11 × 5 = 55 (A) · 10 × 1 = 10 (U) · 6 × 7 = 42 (T)
Clue 3 (Rounding): "SPONGE WIPE ERASED THEIR POWER"
Round 2,262 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (S) · Round 2,912 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (P) · Round 4,313 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (I) · Round 134 to the nearest ten = 130 (E) · Round 54 to the nearest ten = 50 (D) · Round 9,135 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (W) · Round 7,384 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (N) · Round 1,748 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (G) · Round 4,738 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (H) · Round 174 to the nearest ten = 170 (O) · Round 29 to the nearest ten = 30 (A) · Round 374 to the nearest ten = 370 (R) · Round 715 to the nearest hundred = 700 (T)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "SPIKY BRISTLES LEFT AT THE SCENE"
6 × 8 - 15 = 33 (S) · 3 + 5 × 5 = 28 (T) · 60 + 4 × 3 = 72 (L) · 3 × 8 - 14 = 10 (C) · 6 × 11 - 30 = 36 (E) · 4 × 12 - 14 = 34 (F) · 5 + 2 × 2 = 9 (A) · 11 × 9 - 20 = 79 (P) · 12 + 9 × 5 = 57 (K) · 31 + 5 × 3 = 46 (R) · 20 + 2 × 2 = 24 (I) · 12 × 4 - 10 = 38 (N) · 39 + 7 × 2 = 53 (B) · 27 + 2 × 9 = 45 (Y) · 9 × 9 - 23 = 58 (H)
Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 6) → Walter Water
1/6 of 48 = 8 · 7/8 of 8 = 7 · 2/8 of 44 = 11 · 3/4 of 12 = 9 · 1/8 of 8 = 1 · 5/10 of 8 = 4 · 3/4 of 16 = 12 · 2/4 of 10 = 5 · 2/5 of 25 = 10 · 1/10 of 30 = 3 · 5/10 of 4 = 2

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Fractions of a number, Multiplication, Rounding, Order of operations
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Great Capacity Caper — set in Fizz-O-Matic Juice Laboratory
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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