Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

1
 Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

math mystery:
case of the alien apocalypse
December 4 2149
An Alien Apocalypse is upon us! Their war to take over planet Earth starts with
Mathhattan. Everyone is frightened, crowds are racing to evacuation shelters in hope
that there will be some protection from these fierce Algorex Aliens.

The MBI (Mathhattan’s Bureau of Investigation) have discovered a morphing device

that the aliens planted at the top of the city’s tallest tower. After inspecting the
device, they discovered that the machine has been designed to turn all humans in
Mathhattan into something . . . But what? Whatever it has been designed to
transform human kind into, it can’t be good, and the MBI fear that they cannot turn
off the device.

Dr Pewton, a wacky scientist, has been assisting the MBI and police in the fight
against the Algorex Aliens. He has suggested a plan that may give our world some
hope to survive this Alien Apocalypse. Dr Pewton stated to the press, “I can build
a machine that will counteract the mutation waves and stop everyone from being
transformed into whatever this device has been programmed to do. However, I NEED
to know what the device is going to turn humans into to build the morphing
counteracting machine correctly.”

It appears that the aliens use algebra to encrypt their notes on the machine and
communicate with each other. The MBI believe that the math notes they found with
the morphing device will help reveal what the alien’s machine has been programmed
to turn us into. A great math detective with algebra skills is needed on the team
against the Alien Apocalypse!

MATH DETECTIVE NEEDED TO DISCOVER WHAT THE ALIEN’S ARE PLANNING

TO TRANSFORM HUMAN CIVILIZATION INTO!

The MBI have made a list of all the possible transformations that the morphing
device could be programmed to turn humans into. However, they urgently need a
super math detective with algebra skills to help them solve this case. Hurry and
crack the codes so that Dr Pewton is able to build a counteracting device to stop
the aliens and save our world!

4
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

Possible TRANSFORMATIONS
Will morph Living/ How many Color Size Makes Vocal
Non-Living legs? Sound?
humans into . . . Thing Y/N

Dogs Living 4 Yellow Medium Yes

Shoe Boxes Non-Living 0 Brown Small No

Monkeys Living 2 Brown Large Yes

Slugs Living 0 Brown Small No

Mice Living 4 White Small Yes

Rocks Non-Living 0 Gray Small No

Bananas Non-Living 0 Yellow Small No

Cockroaches Living 6 Brown Small No

Spiders Living 8 Brown Small No

Cats Living 4 White Medium Yes

Chairs Non-Living 0 Brown Medium No

Burgers Non-Living 0 Brown Small No

Lizards Living 4 Gray Small No

Snakes Living 0 Yellow Medium Yes

Trees Living 0 Brown Large No

Snails Living 0 Yellow Small No

Muffled Robots Non-Living 2 Gray Large No

Solve the clues and then cross the transformation possibilities off the list until
one remains! The last transformation option remaining is what the alien’s device5
will morph humans into!
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

SOLVE FOR THE VARIABLE (EXPONENTS) – CLUE 1

Here is a note written by an Alogrex Alien team. You will need to crack the code to reveal
the clue about what the morphing machine has been programmed to do. To crack the code,
solve for the variables down below. Use your answers to match and place the letters in the
boxes to reveal the message. Put the letter in every box that it matches your answer in
(there may be more than one!) The first one has been done for you!

O
6 3 729 9 4 2 6 5 4 2

5 4 625 2 16 343 4 49 2 16 5 2

6 343 8 8 256 5 64 3

O
256 36 7 16 216 9 36 4 729

Solve for o. Solve for n. Solve for e. Solve for k.

9
32 = o _______ 22 = n _______ 27 = 3e _______ 43 = k _______
O N E K
Solve for c. Solve for a. Solve for w. Solve for l.
71 = c _______ 2a = 32 _______ 64 = 2w _______ 23 = l _______
C A W L

Solve for t. Solve for h. Solve for u. Solve for g.

5t = 25 _______ 24 = h _______ 62 = u _______ 72 = g _______
T H U G

Solve for d. Solve for m. Solve for y. Solve for i.

36 = d _______ 28 = m _______ 54 = y _______ 73 = i _______
D M Y I

Solve for s.
63 = s _______ 6
S
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

EVALUATE VARIABLE EXPRESSIONS – CLUE 2

Crack the code to reveal another clue about what has been encrypted into the morphing
machine. To crack the code, find the value of the expressions below. Use your answers to
match and place the letters in the boxes to reveal the clue. Put the letter in every box
that it matches your answer in (there may be more than one!)
The first one has been done for you!

I
30 25 15 11 30 4 33 7 6 11 30 12

I
23 12 7 33 30 4 6 11 14

23 7 2 35 35

Find the value of the Find the value of the Find the value of the
expressions below: expressions below: expressions below:
For y = 3 For x = 10 For m = 7
6
3 + y =_______ 4 + x =_______ 16 + m =_______
I G S
y – 1 = ______ x – 3 = ______ m X 5 = ______
A M L
5 X y = ______ 40 ÷ x = ______
R H

36 ÷ y = ______ 3 X x = ______
O T

y + 22 = ______ 21 - x = ______
U N
y X 11 = ______
E
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS – CLUE 3

Crack the code to reveal another clue about what the aliens have programmed into the
morphing machine. To crack the code, simplify the expressions below. Use your simplified
answers to match and place the letters in the boxes to reveal the clue. Put the letter in
every box that it matches your answer in (there may be more than one!)
The first one has been done for you!

T
27 + 30x 7 + 14x 16x + 24 44x + 8 20x + 10 30x + 5 8 + 8x 8 + 8x

T
45x + 72 27 + 30x 30x + 5 8 + 8x 8 + 8x 12x + 15 16x + 24

12 + 18x 8 + 8x 30x + 5 22 + 33x 16x + 24

27 + 30x
3(9 + 10x) = ______________ 8(2x + 3) = ______________
T E
2(4 + 4x) = ______________ 5(4x + 2) = ______________
L W
9(5x + 8) = ______________ 4(11x + 2) = ______________
S Y

6(2 + 3x) = ______________ 3(4x + 5 ) = ______________

A B

7(1 + 2x) = ______________ 11(2 + 3x ) = ______________

H V

5(6x + 1 ) = ______________
I
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

ADD & SUBTRACT LIKE TERMS – CLUE 4

You are looking at the color selection panel on the morphing machine. Combine any like terms
in the expressions below to crack the code. Use your answers to match and place the
letters in the boxes to reveal the clue. Put the letter in every box that it matches your
answer in (there may be more than one!)
The first one has been done for you!

15m 4x 10x 14x 10x 3x 3x 4y 10y

D
6y 2y 2x 7y 7m 6y 14x

18m 6m 15m 15m 4y 2y 14y 4x 6y 11m 10x

D
18m 10x 10x 2y 15m 6m 7m 2y 10x 2x

4y 7x 7x

4x + 2x – 4x = _______
2x 5y + y – 2y = _______ 5m + 2m = _______
D O R
4x + x – x = _______ 4y – 2y = _______ 5m + 5m + m = _______
H N V
7m – m = _______ 3x – 2x + 9x = _______ 12y - y + 3y = _______
U E S
9y – 3y = _______ 15x – 10x + 2x = _______ 14y + 2y – 6y = _______
A F W
10m – 3m + 8m = _______ 9x + 3x + 2x = _______ 4y + 5y – 2y = _______
T Y G
12m – 2m + 8m = _______ x + x + x = _______
B L
Name: _______________________Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

ONE-STEP EQUATIONS – CLUE 5

Crack the code to reveal another clue about what the aliens have programmed the morphing
machine to transform humans into. To crack the code, solve for x in the equations below.
Use your answers to match and place the letters in the boxes to reveal the clue. Put the
letter in every box that it matches your answer in (there may be more than one!)
The first one has been done for you!

20 25 12 82 53 8 82 33 28 6

Y
33 28 11 10 16 82 20 6 28 6

28 11 25 11 6 82 62 53

x + 20 = 30 35 - x = 29 x - 50 = 32 76 + x = 88
x = ____
10 x = ____ x = ____ x = ____
Y S E V

14 + x = 47 26 + 27 = x 100 - x = 72
x = ____ x = ____ x = ____
M T A

85 - 65 = x x + 17 = 42 x - 54 = 8
x = ____ x = ____ x = ____
G I C

12 + x = 20 63 - x = 52 x + 34 = 50
x = ____ x = ____ x = ____
H N L
 Mrs J’s Resource Creations © Mrs J’s Resource Creations ©

SOLVE THE MYSTERY:

WHAT TRANSFORMATION OPTION IS
ENCRYPTED INTO THE MORPHING MACHINE?
Detective
_____________________________________
(your name)

Has discovered that the alien’s morphing

machine is programmed to transform humans
into:

_____________________________________________

Teacher to check and

tick
Clues Checklist: Well done! You have figured out what
transformation the Algorex Aliens encoded into
the morphing machine. Because of your help, Dr
Clue 1 Pewton was able to create a counteracting
machine that bounced the morphing machine’s
radiation onto the aliens, transforming them
Clue 2 instead of humans! You helped put an end to the
Alien Apocalypse, great job!
Clue 3

Clue 4 Oops! No that is not the transformation option

that the morphing machine has been
Clue 5 programmed to perform. Go over, check your
clues and try again before it’s too late!