🔎 MATH MYSTERIES SUCK SO MUCH!Grade 1Reading: grades 7-9AdditionSubtractionPlace valueMultiplicationDivision

The Rebellion Against the Math-Pocalypse

The annual Math Is Fun Week is already a total drag, but someone took it way too far. They activated the school's old robotic mascot, Matheus the Math-Bot, who has locked up the dodgeballs behind tedious algebra puzzles. Every kid in school agrees that these forced math mysteries suck so much. We need to find out who unleashed the robot so we can turn off the calculators, bypass these awful worksheets, and save recess before lunch ends.

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	Favorite Cheat Sheet	Annoying Catchphrase	Dominant Writing Hand	Hair Color Dye	Boredom Buster
Mason	Abacus Ring	No Calculators	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Zoe	Abacus Ring	Solve For X	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Inky Blue Hair	Doodle Break
Logan	Algebraic Decoder	Solve For X	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Mia	Fraction Finder	Show Your Work	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Sarcastic Sigh
Sarah	Slide Rule Ruler	Carrying The One	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Ethan	Abacus Ring	Decimal Pointless	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Sarcastic Sigh
Tyler	Abacus Ring	Show Your Work	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Pencil Wood Brown Hair	Doodle Break
Caleb	Algebraic Decoder	Decimal Pointless	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Sarcastic Sigh
Olivia	Slide Rule Ruler	Solve For X	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Pencil Wood Brown Hair	Doodle Break
Grace	Graph Paper Map	Decimal Pointless	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Wyatt	Slide Rule Ruler	Solve For X	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Paper Airplane Distraction
Emma	Graph Paper Map	No Calculators	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Inky Blue Hair	Paper Airplane Distraction
Ella	Slide Rule Ruler	Solve For X	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Inky Blue Hair	Doodle Break
Zach	Graph Paper Map	Show Your Work	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Pencil Wood Brown Hair	Sarcastic Sigh
Ryan	Slide Rule Ruler	Show Your Work	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Maya	Fraction Finder	No Calculators	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Inky Blue Hair	Doodle Break
Chloe	Slide Rule Ruler	Carrying The One	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Sarcastic Sigh
Devon	Slide Rule Ruler	Solve For X	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Inky Blue Hair	Paper Airplane Distraction
Jackson	Algebraic Decoder	Solve For X	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Pencil Wood Brown Hair	Paper Airplane Distraction
Avery	Graph Paper Map	Show Your Work	Right-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Doodle Break
Lily	Abacus Ring	Carrying The One	Left-Handed Pencil Grip	Neon Highlighter Pink Hair	Sarcastic Sigh

Clue 1

Addition

The culprit forced us to count every single dry-erase marker in the supply closet. We tallied up the blue ones and the red ones to find the total, revealing a scrap of paper that clears one suspect.

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 + 5 =T

12 + 5 =E

2 + 1 =H

5 + 5 =A

6 + 13 =S

12 + 6 =R

3 + 9 =O

4 + 12 =I

9 + 5 =U

4 + 1 =C

5 + 3 =P

14 + 6 =L

0/12 letters found

Clue 2

Subtraction

To unlock the gym doors, we had to subtract the number of stolen kickballs from the school's total inventory. The difference gave us the combination, letting us see which gear was left behind.

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

11 - 9 =A

12 - 4 =D

16 - 2 =R

12 - 8 =E

14 - 7 =N

2 - 1 =I

16 - 3 =G

20 - 1 =P

13 - 8 =C

11 - 5 =T

20 - 2 =S

17 - 6 =H

18 - 1 =W

14 - 2 =K

7 - 4 =O

13 - 4 =L

0/16 letters found

Clue 3

Place value

The villain locked the principal's computer using a code made of tens and ones. By figuring out which digit belongs in the tens place, we bypassed the lock and found an analysis of the culprit's handwriting.

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

What number has 3 tens and 9 ones?T

What number has 7 tens and 8 ones?Y

What number has 5 tens and 0 ones?H

What number has 5 tens and 6 ones?D

What number has 3 tens and 0 ones?E

What number has 6 tens and 7 ones?O

What number has 5 tens and 4 ones?C

What number has 9 tens and 0 ones?I

What number has 1 ten and 9 ones?P

What number has 6 tens and 6 ones?S

What number has 8 tens and 7 ones?G

What number has 4 tens and 7 ones?N

What number has 1 ten and 7 ones?L

What number has 4 tens and 5 ones?U

What number has 1 ten and 8 ones?R

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We found a grid of desk chairs arranged in perfect, boring rows. Multiplying the rows by the columns gave us the total chairs, which pointed us to a locker containing a hair sample.

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

8 × 1 =T

5 × 6 =S

2 × 6 =N

9 × 7 =R

1 × 1 =A

3 × 5 =I

8 × 8 =E

2 × 1 =L

10 × 9 =F

2 × 11 =P

2 × 3 =D

12 × 6 =G

3 × 1 =W

6 × 8 =H

3 × 6 =B

5 × 7 =K

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

A stack of tedious homework sheets had to be divided equally among the five remaining suspects. The leftover remainder pinpointed the exact culprit's favorite distraction.

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

9 ÷ 9 = ?

32 ÷ 4 = ?

24 ÷ 4 = ?

22 ÷ 2 = ?

45 ÷ 5 = ?

9 ÷ 3 = ?

30 ÷ 3 = ?

12 ÷ 3 = ?

21 ÷ 3 = ?

120 ÷ 10 = ?

30 ÷ 6 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain hacks the playground gate lock, then laughing in long division.

2.The villain covers the basketball court in equations, then shouting an awful math pun.

3.The villain confiscates the dodgeballs, then shouting an awful math pun.

4.The villain covers the basketball court in equations, then demanding we solve for y.

5.The villain jams the slide with worksheets, then shouting an awful math pun.

6.The villain covers the basketball court in equations, then forbidding any recess fun.

7.The villain jams the slide with worksheets, then forbidding any recess fun.

8.The villain shuts down the swing set, then demanding we solve for y.

9.The villain shuts down the swing set, then laughing in long division.

10.The villain covers the basketball court in equations, then laughing in long division.

11.The villain hacks the playground gate lock, then demanding we solve for y.

12.The villain hacks the playground gate lock, then forbidding any recess fun.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Rebellion Against the Math-Pocalypse

Culprit: Avery (Graph Paper Map · Show Your Work · Right-Handed Pencil Grip · Neon Highlighter Pink Hair · Doodle Break)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE CULPRIT LETS US USE CALCULATORS"
1 + 5 = 6 (T) · 12 + 5 = 17 (E) · 2 + 1 = 3 (H) · 5 + 5 = 10 (A) · 6 + 13 = 19 (S) · 12 + 6 = 18 (R) · 3 + 9 = 12 (O) · 4 + 12 = 16 (I) · 9 + 5 = 14 (U) · 4 + 1 = 5 (C) · 5 + 3 = 8 (P) · 14 + 6 = 20 (L)
Clue 2 (Subtraction): "A RIGHT HANDED GRIP ON THE CHALK WAS SEEN"
11 - 9 = 2 (A) · 12 - 4 = 8 (D) · 16 - 2 = 14 (R) · 12 - 8 = 4 (E) · 14 - 7 = 7 (N) · 2 - 1 = 1 (I) · 16 - 3 = 13 (G) · 20 - 1 = 19 (P) · 13 - 8 = 5 (C) · 11 - 5 = 6 (T) · 20 - 2 = 18 (S) · 17 - 6 = 11 (H) · 18 - 1 = 17 (W) · 14 - 2 = 12 (K) · 7 - 4 = 3 (O) · 13 - 4 = 9 (L)
Clue 3 (Place value): "THEY COULDT RESIST STOPPING TO DOODLE"
What number has 3 tens and 9 ones? = 39 (T) · What number has 7 tens and 8 ones? = 78 (Y) · What number has 5 tens and 0 ones? = 50 (H) · What number has 5 tens and 6 ones? = 56 (D) · What number has 3 tens and 0 ones? = 30 (E) · What number has 6 tens and 7 ones? = 67 (O) · What number has 5 tens and 4 ones? = 54 (C) · What number has 9 tens and 0 ones? = 90 (I) · What number has 1 ten and 9 ones? = 19 (P) · What number has 6 tens and 6 ones? = 66 (S) · What number has 8 tens and 7 ones? = 87 (G) · What number has 4 tens and 7 ones? = 47 (N) · What number has 1 ten and 7 ones? = 17 (L) · What number has 4 tens and 5 ones? = 45 (U) · What number has 1 ten and 8 ones? = 18 (R)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THERE WAS PINK HIGHLIGHTER HAIR LEFT BEHIND"
8 × 1 = 8 (T) · 5 × 6 = 30 (S) · 2 × 6 = 12 (N) · 9 × 7 = 63 (R) · 1 × 1 = 1 (A) · 3 × 5 = 15 (I) · 8 × 8 = 64 (E) · 2 × 1 = 2 (L) · 10 × 9 = 90 (F) · 2 × 11 = 22 (P) · 2 × 3 = 6 (D) · 12 × 6 = 72 (G) · 3 × 1 = 3 (W) · 6 × 8 = 48 (H) · 3 × 6 = 18 (B) · 5 × 7 = 35 (K)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 2) → Avery
9 ÷ 9 = 1 · 32 ÷ 4 = 8 · 24 ÷ 4 = 6 · 22 ÷ 2 = 11 · 45 ÷ 5 = 9 · 9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 30 ÷ 3 = 10 · 12 ÷ 3 = 4 · 21 ÷ 3 = 7 · 120 ÷ 10 = 12 · 30 ÷ 6 = 5

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 1 math
Math topics: Addition, Subtraction, Place value, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Rebellion Against the Math-Pocalypse — set in Bovington Middle School
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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