🔎 Geography history AstronomyGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationBar modelsFractions of a numberOrder of operationsDivision

The Greenwich Star Heist

The great golden astrolabe has vanished from the Royal Observatory. The suspect left behind muddy footprints, star charts, and a trail of astronomical clues. We must track them down before they sell our kingdom's prized navigation secrets.

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	Navigation Tool	Astronomy Gear	Observing Eye	Cap Color	Historical Distraction
Ptolemy	cross staff	pocket telescope	right eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Banneker	sun compass	planisphere	right eye	blue felt	fossil shells
Copernicus	brass compass	pocket telescope	right eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Herschel	marine chronometer	pocket telescope	right eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Zheng He	sextant	armillary sphere	right eye	red velvet	ancient coins
Drake	marine chronometer	pocket telescope	right eye	brown leather	fossil shells
Ibn Battuta	sun compass	pocket telescope	right eye	red velvet	ancient coins
Eratosthenes	brass compass	armillary sphere	right eye	red velvet	fossil shells
Magellan	sun compass	planisphere	right eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Marco Polo	sun compass	pocket telescope	left eye	brown leather	ancient coins
Kepler	brass compass	pocket telescope	right eye	brown leather	ancient coins
Cassini	cross staff	pocket telescope	left eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Cabot	sextant	armillary sphere	left eye	blue felt	old maps
Mitchell	marine chronometer	armillary sphere	right eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Balboa	marine chronometer	armillary sphere	right eye	red velvet	fossil shells
Halley	sextant	planisphere	left eye	brown leather	ancient coins
Cartier	sun compass	armillary sphere	left eye	blue felt	ancient coins
Cook	sun compass	pocket telescope	left eye	red velvet	old maps
Hudson	cross staff	armillary sphere	left eye	brown leather	fossil shells
Mercator	sextant	lunar dial	left eye	brown leather	old maps
Strabo	sun compass	star globe	left eye	blue felt	fossil shells

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

Our young scouts found rows of astronomical desks in the observatory. Each row holds a set number of star maps. We can multiply the rows to find the total map count and unlock the first secret.

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

8 × 5 =T

5 × 9 =E

2 × 11 =U

9 × 6 =H

1 × 1 =R

12 × 11 =F

10 × 10 =A

11 × 3 =M

10 × 5 =I

2 × 6 =D

2 × 8 =P

1 × 5 =O

10 × 8 =S

5 × 11 =N

10 × 3 =L

7 × 1 =Y

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Bar model word problems

The suspect left behind two parallel travel logs. By comparing the bar models of their journey lengths, we can see exactly how many leagues farther one explorer traveled than the other.

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

111

138

One group collected 83 astrolabe and another group collected 2 astrolabe. How many astrolabe in all?

draw a bar model

Answer:→R

Navigator shares 222 star chart equally among 2 teams. How many star chart does each team get?

draw a bar model

Answer:→T

Navigator has 10 times as many compass as a teammate. The teammate has 4 compass. How many compass does navigator have?

draw a bar model

Answer:→H

Navigator has 124 sextant, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?

draw a bar model

Answer:→Y

The red team has 177 star chart and the blue team has 39 star chart. How many more star chart does the red team have?

draw a bar model

Answer:→E

The red team has 104 sextant and the blue team has 15 sextant. How many more sextant does the red team have?

draw a bar model

Answer:→G

The red team has 65 star chart and the blue team has 6 star chart. How many more star chart does the red team have?

draw a bar model

Answer:→I

0/7 letters found

Clue 3

Fractions of a number

Only a specific fraction of the stars on the ceiling dial are active constellation markers. Let's find that fraction of the total stars to locate the hidden wall compartment.

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

2/5 of 5 =T

2/10 of 160 =C

3/5 of 50 =E

5/10 of 52 =L

4/5 of 20 =A

6/10 of 5 =H

2/6 of 51 =S

1/4 of 48 =N

3/6 of 74 =P

5/8 of 32 =D

2/10 of 170 =I

3/8 of 104 =Y

1/4 of 20 =O

0/13 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

To open the heavy brass vault, we must enter the combination using the strict rules of PEMDAS. Solving the equations in the correct order reveals the lock 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.

13 + 2 × 3 =A

3 × 11 - 15 =B

8 × 9 - 23 =L

2 + 5 × 2 =N

43 + 4 × 5 =C

24 + 2 × 9 =E

14 + 3 × 4 =U

11 × 9 - 28 =R

2 + 3 × 2 =H

5 × 6 - 1 =D

1 + 3 × 2 =F

12 × 3 - 5 =P

11 × 9 - 22 =T

9 × 10 - 23 =S

3 × 9 - 16 =W

3 + 3 × 7 =O

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

The night guards are sharing a box of rations equally before their next shift. Dividing the crackers evenly helps us calculate the time of the thief's escape.

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

30 ÷ 6 = ?

144 ÷ 12 = ?

10 ÷ 5 = ?

20 ÷ 2 = ?

36 ÷ 6 = ?

27 ÷ 9 = ?

24 ÷ 3 = ?

77 ÷ 11 = ?

77 ÷ 7 = ?

36 ÷ 4 = ?

20 ÷ 5 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain calculated the local meridian, then grabbed the planisphere from the table.

2.The villain recorded the evening constellations, then tucked the pocket telescope into a coat.

3.The villain plotted a new shipping route, then stole the armillary sphere.

4.The villain measured the angle of the North Star, then slipped away with the star globe.

5.The villain tracked the path of Venus, then tucked the pocket telescope into a coat.

6.The villain calculated the local meridian, then hid the lunar dial under some parchment.

7.The villain plotted a new shipping route, then hid the lunar dial under some parchment.

8.The villain tracked the path of Venus, then grabbed the planisphere from the table.

9.The villain tracked the path of Venus, then stole the armillary sphere.

10.The villain recorded the evening constellations, then hid the lunar dial under some parchment.

11.The villain tracked the path of Venus, then hid the lunar dial under some parchment.

12.The villain plotted a new shipping route, then tucked the pocket telescope into a coat.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Greenwich Star Heist

Culprit: Magellan (sun compass · planisphere · right eye · blue felt · ancient coins)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE THE ARMILLARY SPHERE"
8 × 5 = 40 (T) · 5 × 9 = 45 (E) · 2 × 11 = 22 (U) · 9 × 6 = 54 (H) · 1 × 1 = 1 (R) · 12 × 11 = 132 (F) · 10 × 10 = 100 (A) · 11 × 3 = 33 (M) · 10 × 5 = 50 (I) · 2 × 6 = 12 (D) · 2 × 8 = 16 (P) · 1 × 5 = 5 (O) · 10 × 8 = 80 (S) · 5 × 11 = 55 (N) · 10 × 3 = 30 (L) · 7 × 1 = 7 (Y)
Clue 2 (Bar model word problems): "RIGHT EYE"
One group collected 83 astrolabe and another group collected 2 astrolabe. How many astrolabe in all? = 85 (R) · Navigator shares 222 star chart equally among 2 teams. How many star chart does each team get? = 111 (T) · Navigator has 10 times as many compass as a teammate. The teammate has 4 compass. How many compass does navigator have? = 40 (H) · Navigator has 124 sextant, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 62 (Y) · The red team has 177 star chart and the blue team has 39 star chart. How many more star chart does the red team have? = 138 (E) · The red team has 104 sextant and the blue team has 15 sextant. How many more sextant does the red team have? = 89 (G) · The red team has 65 star chart and the blue team has 6 star chart. How many more star chart does the red team have? = 59 (I)
Clue 3 (Fractions of a number): "THEY STOPPED TO STEAL ANCIENT COINS"
2/5 of 5 = 2 (T) · 2/10 of 160 = 32 (C) · 3/5 of 50 = 30 (E) · 5/10 of 52 = 26 (L) · 4/5 of 20 = 16 (A) · 6/10 of 5 = 3 (H) · 2/6 of 51 = 17 (S) · 1/4 of 48 = 12 (N) · 3/6 of 74 = 37 (P) · 5/8 of 32 = 20 (D) · 2/10 of 170 = 34 (I) · 3/8 of 104 = 39 (Y) · 1/4 of 20 = 5 (O)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "A BLUE FELT THREAD WAS FOUND ON THE TELESCOPE"
13 + 2 × 3 = 19 (A) · 3 × 11 - 15 = 18 (B) · 8 × 9 - 23 = 49 (L) · 2 + 5 × 2 = 12 (N) · 43 + 4 × 5 = 63 (C) · 24 + 2 × 9 = 42 (E) · 14 + 3 × 4 = 26 (U) · 11 × 9 - 28 = 71 (R) · 2 + 3 × 2 = 8 (H) · 5 × 6 - 1 = 29 (D) · 1 + 3 × 2 = 7 (F) · 12 × 3 - 5 = 31 (P) · 11 × 9 - 22 = 77 (T) · 9 × 10 - 23 = 67 (S) · 3 × 9 - 16 = 11 (W) · 3 + 3 × 7 = 24 (O)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 1) → Magellan
30 ÷ 6 = 5 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 10 ÷ 5 = 2 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6 · 27 ÷ 9 = 3 · 24 ÷ 3 = 8 · 77 ÷ 11 = 7 · 77 ÷ 7 = 11 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 20 ÷ 5 = 4

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Bar models, Fractions of a number, Order of operations, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Greenwich Star Heist — set in The Royal Observatory at Greenwich
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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