🔎 SymphonyGrade 9Reading: grades 7-9Two-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsIntegers
The Silent Symphony
The Grand Crescendo Concert Hall has fallen completely silent. Just hours before the grand opening night, someone swapped the Principal Violinist's priceless Stradivarius with a squeaky plastic toy. If we do not find the thief before the conductor's baton rises, the performance will be ruined.
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 | Main Instrument | Stage Gear | Conducting Style | Hair Color | Musical Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Vivaldi | Silver Trumpet | Tuning Fork Blade | Left Hand Dominant | Ebony Black | Sudden Silence |
| Franz Schubert | Grand Pipe Organ | Sonic Pitch Pipe | Right Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Metronome Beats |
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Grand Pipe Organ | Echo Amplifier | Left Hand Dominant | Ebony Black | Metronome Beats |
| Ludwig van Beethoven | Timpani Drums | Echo Amplifier | Left Hand Dominant | Powdered White | Metronome Beats |
| Maurice Ravel | Harpsichord | Sheet Music Shield | Right Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Timpani Drums | Tuning Fork Blade | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Richard Wagner | Timpani Drums | Tuning Fork Blade | Right Hand Dominant | Powdered White | Sudden Silence |
| Edward Elgar | Harpsichord | Echo Amplifier | Right Hand Dominant | Ebony Black | Metronome Beats |
| Johannes Brahms | Grand Pipe Organ | Echo Amplifier | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Joseph Haydn | Silver Trumpet | Laser Baton | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Metronome Beats |
| Giuseppe Verdi | Silver Trumpet | Echo Amplifier | Right Hand Dominant | Powdered White | Off Key Notes |
| Antonin Dvorak | Silver Trumpet | Sheet Music Shield | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Off Key Notes |
| Igor Stravinsky | Silver Trumpet | Echo Amplifier | Right Hand Dominant | Ebony Black | Off Key Notes |
| Frederic Chopin | Golden Flute | Laser Baton | Right Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Felix Mendelssohn | Grand Pipe Organ | Sheet Music Shield | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Off Key Notes |
| Sergei Rachmaninoff | Timpani Drums | Sheet Music Shield | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Claude Debussy | Harpsichord | Tuning Fork Blade | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Golden Flute | Sonic Pitch Pipe | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Metronome Beats |
| Gustav Mahler | Silver Trumpet | Tuning Fork Blade | Left Hand Dominant | Auburn Copper | Sudden Silence |
| Jean Sibelius | Grand Pipe Organ | Laser Baton | Left Hand Dominant | Powdered White | Off Key Notes |
| Franz Liszt | Timpani Drums | Sheet Music Shield | Left Hand Dominant | Ebony Black | Metronome Beats |
Clue 1
Two-step equations
To unlock the backstage dressing room, you need to solve the key signature equation where twice the number of sharps plus three equals eleven.
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
12
17
18
T
12
17
9
18
16
7
11
18
6
14
11
T
12
19
6
18
T
12
17
18
18
2
17
11
22
4
10
21
9
16
9
18
15
3x + 7 = 43, x =T
9x + 5 = 167, x =E
7x + 11 = 116, x =R
9x + 2 = 146, x =F
4x + 3 = 79, x =U
8x + 3 = 179, x =A
5x + 8 = 43, x =D
9x + 11 = 47, x =M
5x + 2 = 107, x =L
3x + 4 = 34, x =P
2x + 6 = 24, x =I
8x + 2 = 138, x =H
2x + 6 = 28, x =O
2x + 8 = 12, x =C
6x + 7 = 91, x =N
9x + 2 = 56, x =S
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Exponents
The decibel meter on the soundboard shows that the volume of the mysterious sound scales as two to the power of the missing rehearsal number.
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
289
484
64
484
169
T
16
289
512
4
49
484
49
125
512
T
16
441
4
64
484
169
T
16
512
400
100
343
49
121
484
441
4
121
64
512
400
400
4^2 =T
8^2 =L
20^2 =S
11^2 =G
10^2 =M
13^2 =F
7^3 =U
21^2 =O
17^2 =H
22^2 =E
2^9 =A
2^2 =N
5^3 =B
7^2 =D
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Square roots
The thief left a square-shaped sheet of manuscript paper on the conductor's podium, with a total area of sixty-four square inches.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
17
7
22
22
8
15
S
17
3
10
8
15
6
8
12
3
10
10
11
4
8
8
14
8
25
16
8
S
17
7
S
17
23
8
6
25
sqrt(289) =S
sqrt(100) =L
sqrt(484) =D
sqrt(16) =R
sqrt(625) =T
sqrt(64) =E
sqrt(36) =C
sqrt(121) =F
sqrt(529) =P
sqrt(9) =I
sqrt(225) =N
sqrt(196) =Z
sqrt(256) =H
sqrt(144) =W
sqrt(49) =U
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Integers
To track the suspect's path, trace their movements up and down the elevator shafts, recording the positive gains and negative drops in floor levels.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
38
6
5
28
28
27
13
A
38
29
39
29
13
34
3
15
13
A
38
34
35
40
A
38
3
24
27
8
15
5
34
15
11
27
13
27
27
35
33 - (-5) =A
31 - (-4) =D
(-11) + 50 =B
(-3) + 31 =P
(-7) + 13 =C
18 - (-6) =L
(-13) + 16 =S
(-5) + 34 =U
(-12) + 46 =N
(-13) + 21 =F
(-12) + 27 =T
(-12) + 52 =W
(-8) + 13 =O
(-7) + 20 =R
(-9) + 36 =E
(-15) + 26 =H
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Two-step equations — the last clue
The final cipher is locked inside the ticket booth registry, where three times the price of a VIP seat minus fifty dollars yields a total of one hundred.
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
3x + 4 = 19, x = ?
6x + 9 = 45, x = ?
4x + 10 = 14, x = ?
8x + 3 = 67, x = ?
3x + 3 = 39, x = ?
6x + 10 = 28, x = ?
6x + 7 = 73, x = ?
3x + 11 = 32, x = ?
9x + 1 = 37, x = ?
7x + 6 = 69, x = ?
2x + 1 = 21, x = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain struck a thundering roll on the timpani drums, then pried open the instrument locker with a tuning fork blade.
2.The villain jammed the keys of the harpsichord, then pried open the instrument locker with a tuning fork blade.
3.The villain jammed the keys of the harpsichord, then blocked the security guards with a sheet music shield.
4.The villain blew a deafening blast on the golden flute, then pried open the instrument locker with a tuning fork blade.
5.The villain struck a thundering roll on the timpani drums, then blocked the security guards with a sheet music shield.
6.The villain played a triumphant fanfare on the silver trumpet, then pried open the instrument locker with a tuning fork blade.
7.The villain blew a deafening blast on the golden flute, then sliced through the curtain cords with a laser baton.
8.The villain played a triumphant fanfare on the silver trumpet, then blocked the security guards with a sheet music shield.
9.The villain blew a deafening blast on the golden flute, then baffled the acoustic tiles with an echo amplifier.
10.The villain blew a deafening blast on the golden flute, then blocked the security guards with a sheet music shield.
11.The villain played a triumphant fanfare on the silver trumpet, then baffled the acoustic tiles with an echo amplifier.
12.The villain rumbled the floorboards with the grand pipe organ, then sliced through the curtain cords with a laser baton.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Silent Symphony
Culprit: Claude Debussy (Harpsichord · Tuning Fork Blade · Left Hand Dominant · Auburn Copper · Sudden Silence)
- Clue 1 (Two-step equations): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE THE ECHO AMPLIFIER"3x + 7 = 43, x = 12 (T) · 9x + 5 = 167, x = 18 (E) · 7x + 11 = 116, x = 15 (R) · 9x + 2 = 146, x = 16 (F) · 4x + 3 = 79, x = 19 (U) · 8x + 3 = 179, x = 22 (A) · 5x + 8 = 43, x = 7 (D) · 9x + 11 = 47, x = 4 (M) · 5x + 2 = 107, x = 21 (L) · 3x + 4 = 34, x = 10 (P) · 2x + 6 = 24, x = 9 (I) · 8x + 2 = 138, x = 17 (H) · 2x + 6 = 28, x = 11 (O) · 2x + 8 = 12, x = 2 (C) · 6x + 7 = 91, x = 14 (N) · 9x + 2 = 56, x = 6 (S)
- Clue 2 (Exponents): "THE LEFT HANDED BATON LEFT A SMUDGE ON GLASS"4^2 = 16 (T) · 8^2 = 64 (L) · 20^2 = 400 (S) · 11^2 = 121 (G) · 10^2 = 100 (M) · 13^2 = 169 (F) · 7^3 = 343 (U) · 21^2 = 441 (O) · 17^2 = 289 (H) · 22^2 = 484 (E) · 2^9 = 512 (A) · 2^2 = 4 (N) · 5^3 = 125 (B) · 7^2 = 49 (D)
- Clue 3 (Square roots): "SUDDEN SILENCE WILL FREEZE THE SUSPECT"sqrt(289) = 17 (S) · sqrt(100) = 10 (L) · sqrt(484) = 22 (D) · sqrt(16) = 4 (R) · sqrt(625) = 25 (T) · sqrt(64) = 8 (E) · sqrt(36) = 6 (C) · sqrt(121) = 11 (F) · sqrt(529) = 23 (P) · sqrt(9) = 3 (I) · sqrt(225) = 15 (N) · sqrt(196) = 14 (Z) · sqrt(256) = 16 (H) · sqrt(144) = 12 (W) · sqrt(49) = 7 (U)
- Clue 4 (Integers): "A COPPER AUBURN STRAND WAS LEFT ON THE REED"33 - (-5) = 38 (A) · 31 - (-4) = 35 (D) · (-11) + 50 = 39 (B) · (-3) + 31 = 28 (P) · (-7) + 13 = 6 (C) · 18 - (-6) = 24 (L) · (-13) + 16 = 3 (S) · (-5) + 34 = 29 (U) · (-12) + 46 = 34 (N) · (-13) + 21 = 8 (F) · (-12) + 27 = 15 (T) · (-12) + 52 = 40 (W) · (-8) + 13 = 5 (O) · (-7) + 20 = 13 (R) · (-9) + 36 = 27 (E) · (-15) + 26 = 11 (H)
- Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 2) → Claude Debussy3x + 4 = 19, x = 5 · 6x + 9 = 45, x = 6 · 4x + 10 = 14, x = 1 · 8x + 3 = 67, x = 8 · 3x + 3 = 39, x = 12 · 6x + 10 = 28, x = 3 · 6x + 7 = 73, x = 11 · 3x + 11 = 32, x = 7 · 9x + 1 = 37, x = 4 · 7x + 6 = 69, x = 9 · 2x + 1 = 21, x = 10
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 9 math
- Math topics
- Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Integers
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Silent Symphony — set in The Grand Crescendo Concert Hall
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects