🔎 The World Cup, where every sGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4MultiplicationRoundingFractions of a numberBar models
The Great World Cup Ticket Caper
The big final match of the World Cup is tonight! But right before kick-off, the Stadium Ticket Manager realized every single ticket to the final match was gone. One of the team coaches must have taken them! We need to follow the clues, solve the math, and find the coach who took the tickets so the fans can get into the stadium.
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 | Coaching Tactic | Favorite Gear | Writing Hand | Hair or Hat Style | Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thierry Henry | parking the bus | laser pointer | right handed writer | spiky hair | squeaky soccer ball |
| Ramon Menezes | wing play | tactical tablet | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Gareth Southgate | high press | golden whistle | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Hajime Moriyasu | wing play | fancy stopwatch | left handed writer | spiky hair | squeaky soccer ball |
| Steve Holland | wing play | fancy stopwatch | right handed writer | baseball cap | squeaky soccer ball |
| Hiroshi Nanami | wing play | golden whistle | left handed writer | spiky hair | misty sprinkler |
| Lee Carsley | tikitaka pass | fancy stopwatch | left handed writer | spiky hair | bright yellow card |
| B J Callaghan | counter attack | tactical tablet | left handed writer | slicked back hair | squeaky soccer ball |
| Guy Stephan | parking the bus | fancy stopwatch | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Jaime Lozano | tikitaka pass | golden whistle | right handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Tony Leone | parking the bus | fancy stopwatch | left handed writer | slicked back hair | bright yellow card |
| Fernando Diniz | wing play | fancy stopwatch | right handed writer | baseball cap | misty sprinkler |
| Graham Arnold | high press | laser pointer | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Didier Deschamps | parking the bus | tactical tablet | right handed writer | slicked back hair | misty sprinkler |
| Walter Samuel | wing play | golden whistle | left handed writer | spiky hair | bright yellow card |
| Ryoichi Maeda | parking the bus | lucky clipboard | left handed writer | baseball cap | misty sprinkler |
| Lionel Scaloni | tikitaka pass | tactical tablet | left handed writer | baseball cap | misty sprinkler |
| Gregg Berhalter | tikitaka pass | laser pointer | left handed writer | baseball cap | misty sprinkler |
| Tony Vidmar | counter attack | fancy stopwatch | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
| Pablo Aimar | counter attack | lucky clipboard | right handed writer | spiky hair | bright yellow card |
| Rene Meulensteen | tikitaka pass | laser pointer | left handed writer | baseball cap | bright yellow card |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
To search the main coach locker rooms, we must count the training soccer balls. They are kept in equal rows. Let us multiply the rows to get the total.
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
16
30
110
T
16
30
21
110
2
44
120
110
9
121
120
T
16
7
9
110
12
90
12
9
110
1
33
120
21
121
T
16
110
1
4 × 4 =T
5 × 6 =H
11 × 4 =D
9 × 10 =L
1 × 1 =R
3 × 7 =I
2 × 1 =F
11 × 11 =N
11 × 3 =P
1 × 7 =U
12 × 10 =O
12 × 1 =A
9 × 1 =S
10 × 11 =E
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The digital security screen is fuzzy and only displays rounded numbers. Let us round the seat numbers to unlock the camera logs.
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
30
290
9000
T
30
290
90
9000
4300
1300
900
1100
T
30
9000
300
5000
370
7000
2900
1300
90
T
30
290
T
30
290
9000
90
900
5000
9000
4300
T
30
290
370
20
170
Round 30 to the nearest tenT
Round 8,573 to the nearest thousandE
Round 291 to the nearest tenH
Round 369 to the nearest tenA
Round 89 to the nearest tenI
Round 18 to the nearest tenN
Round 870 to the nearest hundredR
Round 6,529 to the nearest thousandY
Round 4,347 to the nearest hundredF
Round 335 to the nearest hundredP
Round 174 to the nearest tenD
Round 1,331 to the nearest hundredW
Round 2,924 to the nearest hundredS
Round 5,180 to the nearest thousandL
Round 1,111 to the nearest hundredO
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Fractions of a number
The referee crew has a giant bag of fresh practice jerseys to share. We must calculate a fraction of this number to pass them out correctly.
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
15
6
34
2
28
7
21
33
34
32
T
15
T
15
6
34
14
26
30
6
T
15
21
28
32
2
34
12
12
21
35
16
32
7
23
1/4 of 60 =T
4/10 of 75 =G
1/3 of 63 =O
2/3 of 42 =F
2/6 of 21 =R
1/8 of 112 =S
1/2 of 52 =I
2/6 of 96 =A
1/4 of 140 =W
1/3 of 36 =L
2/8 of 92 =D
4/6 of 3 =Y
4/8 of 66 =Z
2/5 of 40 =C
3/6 of 12 =H
4/10 of 85 =E
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Bar models
Let us compare the warm-up cones used by the different teams. Drawing a bar model will help us see who has more.
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.
Astrandofhairturnedupatthescene.
B
40
13
15
50
B
40
13
42
42
24
13
26
One part is 32 and the other part is 8. What is the whole?
draw a bar model
Answer:→B
The whole is 50. One part is 8. What is the other part?
draw a bar model
Answer:→L
One bar shows 37 and the other shows 11. How much longer is the first bar?
draw a bar model
Answer:→P
One part is 4 and the other part is 20. What is the whole?
draw a bar model
Answer:→C
One part is 10 and the other part is 3. What is the whole?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
One part is 10 and the other part is 40. What is the whole?
draw a bar model
Answer:→E
One bar shows 16 and the other shows 1. How much longer is the first bar?
draw a bar model
Answer:→S
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The team mascot has a box of shiny tournament keychains. We need to find a fraction of the keychains to give to the stadium staff.
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
1/4 of 44 = ?
2/4 of 20 = ?
4/8 of 18 = ?
2/8 of 32 = ?
4/8 of 2 = ?
1/10 of 40 = ?
6/8 of 16 = ?
1/6 of 30 = ?
3/10 of 10 = ?
1/8 of 16 = ?
6/8 of 8 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sneaked onto the team bus, then grabbed the sack of final tickets.
2.The villain dashed across the grassy pitch, then swiped the golden ticket box.
3.The villain sneaked onto the team bus, then plucked the tickets from the safe.
4.The villain dashed across the grassy pitch, then plucked the tickets from the safe.
5.The villain slid past the stadium guards, then snatched the official ticket envelope.
6.The villain crept into the locker room, then grabbed the sack of final tickets.
7.The villain dashed across the grassy pitch, then snatched the official ticket envelope.
8.The villain slid past the stadium guards, then stole the ticket manager keys.
9.The villain crept into the locker room, then stole the ticket manager keys.
10.The villain slid past the stadium guards, then swiped the golden ticket box.
11.The villain climbed over the training fence, then stole the ticket manager keys.
12.The villain dashed across the grassy pitch, then grabbed the sack of final tickets.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Great World Cup Ticket Caper
Culprit: Ramon Menezes (wing play · tactical tablet · left handed writer · baseball cap · bright yellow card)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE A LASER POINTER"4 × 4 = 16 (T) · 5 × 6 = 30 (H) · 11 × 4 = 44 (D) · 9 × 10 = 90 (L) · 1 × 1 = 1 (R) · 3 × 7 = 21 (I) · 2 × 1 = 2 (F) · 11 × 11 = 121 (N) · 11 × 3 = 33 (P) · 1 × 7 = 7 (U) · 12 × 10 = 120 (O) · 12 × 1 = 12 (A) · 9 × 1 = 9 (S) · 10 × 11 = 110 (E)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE THIEF WROTE PLAYS WITH THEIR LEFT HAND"Round 30 to the nearest ten = 30 (T) · Round 8,573 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (E) · Round 291 to the nearest ten = 290 (H) · Round 369 to the nearest ten = 370 (A) · Round 89 to the nearest ten = 90 (I) · Round 18 to the nearest ten = 20 (N) · Round 870 to the nearest hundred = 900 (R) · Round 6,529 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (Y) · Round 4,347 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (F) · Round 335 to the nearest hundred = 300 (P) · Round 174 to the nearest ten = 170 (D) · Round 1,331 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (W) · Round 2,924 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (S) · Round 5,180 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (L) · Round 1,111 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (O)
- Clue 3 (Fractions of a number): "THEY FROZE AT THE SIGHT OF A YELLOW CARD"1/4 of 60 = 15 (T) · 4/10 of 75 = 30 (G) · 1/3 of 63 = 21 (O) · 2/3 of 42 = 28 (F) · 2/6 of 21 = 7 (R) · 1/8 of 112 = 14 (S) · 1/2 of 52 = 26 (I) · 2/6 of 96 = 32 (A) · 1/4 of 140 = 35 (W) · 1/3 of 36 = 12 (L) · 2/8 of 92 = 23 (D) · 4/6 of 3 = 2 (Y) · 4/8 of 66 = 33 (Z) · 2/5 of 40 = 16 (C) · 3/6 of 12 = 6 (H) · 4/10 of 85 = 34 (E)
- Clue 4 (Bar models): "BASEBALL CAP"One part is 32 and the other part is 8. What is the whole? = 40 (B) · The whole is 50. One part is 8. What is the other part? = 42 (L) · One bar shows 37 and the other shows 11. How much longer is the first bar? = 26 (P) · One part is 4 and the other part is 20. What is the whole? = 24 (C) · One part is 10 and the other part is 3. What is the whole? = 13 (A) · One part is 10 and the other part is 40. What is the whole? = 50 (E) · One bar shows 16 and the other shows 1. How much longer is the first bar? = 15 (S)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 7) → Ramon Menezes1/4 of 44 = 11 · 2/4 of 20 = 10 · 4/8 of 18 = 9 · 2/8 of 32 = 8 · 4/8 of 2 = 1 · 1/10 of 40 = 4 · 6/8 of 16 = 12 · 1/6 of 30 = 5 · 3/10 of 10 = 3 · 1/8 of 16 = 2 · 6/8 of 8 = 6
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Rounding, Fractions of a number, Bar models
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Great World Cup Ticket Caper — set in the grand Championship Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects