Five suspects. One stolen formula. Three stations of free math evidence — and a cliffhanger ending.

This is Case M-00: The Stolen Formula — First Clues, a free 3-station sampler from the DeskMade Math Whodunnit series. Students work through three CCSS-aligned math stations, collect three Station Letters, then hit a cliffhanger: two stations are locked. The thief is still unknown. The full investigation is available in Case M-01.

HOW IT WORKS
Each station gives students a short original scenario and four multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer reveals a code letter. Four code letters form a code word. The first letter of that code word is the Station Letter. After three stations, students have collected T, R, A — but the verdict word needs all five letters.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
6-page student worksheet PDF (cover, mission brief, three station pages, cliffhanger verdict page)
4-page teacher answer key PDF (cover with quick reference, three station answer pages)
Google Slides deck (6 slides — cover, mission brief, three station slides, cliffhanger slide)
Print AND digital ready

THE THREE FREE STATIONS
1 THE LAB — Multiplication (equal groups, arrays, expressions)
2 THE HALLWAY — Division (equal groups, partitioning)
3 CLASSROOM 14 — Patterns and Rules (growing patterns, rules)

UPGRADE
Download Case M-01: The Stolen Formula for the complete 5-station investigation, full teacher answer key, and the final verdict.

STANDARDS
CCSS 3.OA.A.1 — Interpret products of whole numbers
CCSS 3.OA.A.2 — Interpret quotients of whole numbers
CCSS 4.OA.A.2 — Multiply and divide to solve word problems
CCSS 4.OA.C.5 — Generate and analyse a number pattern