🚀 SpaceGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4AdditionRoundingSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Starbase Alpha Heist

Oh no! A sneaky Cosmic Bandit has broken into the main vault at Starbase Alpha and stolen the Golden Rocket Engine! Station Commander Nova needs your help. You must solve the math puzzles and follow the cosmic clues to catch the bandit before their spaceship launches into deep space!

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	Space Gear	Backup Gadget	Visor Color	Spacesuit Stripe	Slowing Agent
Kalpana Chawla	Plasma Glove	Cyber Helmet	Red Visor	Green Stripe	Solar Net
Chris Hadfield	Gravity Boots	Decoder Ring	Blue Visor	Purple Stripe	Moon Dust
Gene Kranz	Gravity Boots	Gravity Disruptor	Blue Visor	Green Stripe	Freeze Ray
Mary Jackson	Gravity Boots	Space Magnet	Red Visor	Purple Stripe	Solar Net
Bernard Harris	Shield Belt	Gravity Disruptor	Blue Visor	Purple Stripe	Moon Dust
Dorothy Vaughan	Rocket Pack	Decoder Ring	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Yuri Gagarin	Plasma Glove	Gravity Disruptor	Red Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Katherine Johnson	Laser Lasso	Decoder Ring	Red Visor	Green Stripe	Solar Net
Sunita Williams	Plasma Glove	Gravity Disruptor	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Neil Armstrong	Shield Belt	Starlight Cloak	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Jim Lovell	Shield Belt	Gravity Disruptor	Red Visor	Green Stripe	Moon Dust
Valentina Tereshkova	Shield Belt	Decoder Ring	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Fred Haise	Laser Lasso	Starlight Cloak	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Moon Dust
Sally Ride	Laser Lasso	Starlight Cloak	Red Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Peggy Whitson	Shield Belt	Starlight Cloak	Red Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Michael Collins	Gravity Boots	Cyber Helmet	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Mae Jemison	Plasma Glove	Space Magnet	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Solar Net
Charles Bolden	Plasma Glove	Starlight Cloak	Red Visor	Orange Stripe	Solar Net
Scott Kelly	Plasma Glove	Cyber Helmet	Red Visor	Orange Stripe	Solar Net
John Glenn	Plasma Glove	Starlight Cloak	Blue Visor	Orange Stripe	Freeze Ray
Buzz Aldrin	Rocket Pack	Gravity Disruptor	Blue Visor	Purple Stripe	Moon Dust

Clue 1

Addition

We must tally up the total solar batteries left in the storage room to unlock the security camera log.

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

5731

7650

6264

4118

3694

3412

4246

9206

5731

4246

4523

6264

9416

3412

4523

5731

8740

9416

6264

3694

4246

6264

9871

4523

4246

6264

3890

9206

3412

9199

2509 + 3222 =T

2630 + 1488 =B

2072 + 1340 =N

3919 + 5497 =S

4214 + 5657 =C

5138 + 4061 =G

1840 + 2050 =R

2130 + 4134 =E

1557 + 2966 =O

3745 + 5461 =I

2601 + 1645 =D

2459 + 1235 =A

3242 + 4408 =H

5669 + 3071 =U

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Rounding

The damaged radar screen only shows rounded distances, so estimate the closest spaceship to get the next clue.

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

300

3000

110

700

1100

170

3000

1300

110

430

3700

5000

170

370

700

4300

1100

300

370

3700

Round 298 to the nearest hundredA

Round 166 to the nearest tenI

Round 3,479 to the nearest thousandG

Round 1,321 to the nearest hundredB

Round 367 to the nearest tenS

Round 3,699 to the nearest hundredE

Round 89 to the nearest tenN

Round 4,284 to the nearest hundredR

Round 740 to the nearest hundredO

Round 4,801 to the nearest thousandV

Round 1,133 to the nearest hundredW

Round 426 to the nearest tenU

Round 113 to the nearest tenL

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

Help the crew calculate how much rocket fuel leaked from the tank after the bandit sabotaged the valves.

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

2137

3789

4220

5032

3059

5032

4220

2137

2533

5229

2582

4785

6909

8307

3887

4555

8307

1299

5032

4051

2137

7014

2474

2582

8307

2582 - 445 =A

8213 - 1199 =N

5959 - 1908 =B

2282 - 983 =H

2663 - 81 =I

5625 - 1405 =R

6276 - 1244 =E

10947 - 4038 =S

10015 - 1708 =T

7853 - 2624 =W

8593 - 4804 =F

6183 - 1628 =P

5450 - 665 =L

3793 - 734 =Z

2711 - 237 =D

3980 - 1447 =Y

8202 - 4315 =O

0/17 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

Count the total laser grid beams by multiplying the rows of sensors across the corridor wall.

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

121

100

7 × 11 =S

8 × 12 =R

12 × 6 =T

5 × 5 =M

9 × 11 =N

8 × 8 =I

3 × 5 =H

4 × 4 =O

11 × 6 =G

3 × 3 =F

10 × 10 =W

5 × 8 =K

7 × 7 =A

8 × 10 =E

12 × 4 =U

6 × 5 =P

11 × 11 =C

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

Divide the spare oxygen tanks equally among the rescue teams so they can search the base safely.

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

84 ÷ 12 = ?

9 ÷ 3 = ?

32 ÷ 8 = ?

96 ÷ 8 = ?

36 ÷ 6 = ?

36 ÷ 4 = ?

32 ÷ 4 = ?

14 ÷ 7 = ?

40 ÷ 4 = ?

7 ÷ 7 = ?

10 ÷ 2 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain zooms past the defense turrets with a rocket pack, then pulls the metal latch open using a space magnet.

2.The villain activates a glowing shield belt, then cracks the mainframe code with a decoder ring.

3.The villain floats through the airlock with gravity boots, then overrides the computer core with a cyber helmet.

4.The villain activates a glowing shield belt, then fades from view using a starlight cloak.

5.The villain floats through the airlock with gravity boots, then cracks the mainframe code with a decoder ring.

6.The villain blasts open the vault door with a plasma glove, then pulls the metal latch open using a space magnet.

7.The villain blasts open the vault door with a plasma glove, then scrambles the gravity sensors with a gravity disruptor.

8.The villain floats through the airlock with gravity boots, then fades from view using a starlight cloak.

9.The villain zooms past the defense turrets with a rocket pack, then cracks the mainframe code with a decoder ring.

10.The villain swings across the control room using a laser lasso, then fades from view using a starlight cloak.

11.The villain blasts open the vault door with a plasma glove, then fades from view using a starlight cloak.

12.The villain blasts open the vault door with a plasma glove, then cracks the mainframe code with a decoder ring.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Starbase Alpha Heist

Culprit: John Glenn (Plasma Glove · Starlight Cloak · Blue Visor · Orange Stripe · Freeze Ray)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A DECODER RING"
2509 + 3222 = 5731 (T) · 2630 + 1488 = 4118 (B) · 2072 + 1340 = 3412 (N) · 3919 + 5497 = 9416 (S) · 4214 + 5657 = 9871 (C) · 5138 + 4061 = 9199 (G) · 1840 + 2050 = 3890 (R) · 2130 + 4134 = 6264 (E) · 1557 + 2966 = 4523 (O) · 3745 + 5461 = 9206 (I) · 2601 + 1645 = 4246 (D) · 2459 + 1235 = 3694 (A) · 3242 + 4408 = 7650 (H) · 5669 + 3071 = 8740 (U)
Clue 2 (Rounding): "A GLOWING BLUE VISOR WAS SEEN"
Round 298 to the nearest hundred = 300 (A) · Round 166 to the nearest ten = 170 (I) · Round 3,479 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (G) · Round 1,321 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (B) · Round 367 to the nearest ten = 370 (S) · Round 3,699 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (E) · Round 89 to the nearest ten = 90 (N) · Round 4,284 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (R) · Round 740 to the nearest hundred = 700 (O) · Round 4,801 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (V) · Round 1,133 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (W) · Round 426 to the nearest ten = 430 (U) · Round 113 to the nearest ten = 110 (L)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "A FREEZE RAY WILL STOP THE BANDIT"
2582 - 445 = 2137 (A) · 8213 - 1199 = 7014 (N) · 5959 - 1908 = 4051 (B) · 2282 - 983 = 1299 (H) · 2663 - 81 = 2582 (I) · 5625 - 1405 = 4220 (R) · 6276 - 1244 = 5032 (E) · 10947 - 4038 = 6909 (S) · 10015 - 1708 = 8307 (T) · 7853 - 2624 = 5229 (W) · 8593 - 4804 = 3789 (F) · 6183 - 1628 = 4555 (P) · 5450 - 665 = 4785 (L) · 3793 - 734 = 3059 (Z) · 2711 - 237 = 2474 (D) · 3980 - 1447 = 2533 (Y) · 8202 - 4315 = 3887 (O)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "SCUFF MARKS SHOW AN ORANGE STRIPE"
7 × 11 = 77 (S) · 8 × 12 = 96 (R) · 12 × 6 = 72 (T) · 5 × 5 = 25 (M) · 9 × 11 = 99 (N) · 8 × 8 = 64 (I) · 3 × 5 = 15 (H) · 4 × 4 = 16 (O) · 11 × 6 = 66 (G) · 3 × 3 = 9 (F) · 10 × 10 = 100 (W) · 5 × 8 = 40 (K) · 7 × 7 = 49 (A) · 8 × 10 = 80 (E) · 12 × 4 = 48 (U) · 6 × 5 = 30 (P) · 11 × 11 = 121 (C)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 11) → John Glenn
84 ÷ 12 = 7 · 9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 96 ÷ 8 = 12 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 32 ÷ 4 = 8 · 14 ÷ 7 = 2 · 40 ÷ 4 = 10 · 7 ÷ 7 = 1 · 10 ÷ 2 = 5

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 4 math
Math topics: Addition, Rounding, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Starbase Alpha Heist — set in Starbase Alpha
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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