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Whodunnit? Scientific Notation

Ideal Unit: Exponents, Roots & Scientific Notation

Time Range: 20-40 Minutes Supplies: Pencil & Paper

Common Core Alignment: This particular activity was mapped to these common core standards. Whodunnit activities are ideal as a small group skill practice.

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8.EE.3 Use numbers expressed in the form of a single digit times an integer power of 10 to estimate very large or very small quantities, and to express how many times as much one is than the other.

8.EE.4

Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for measurements of very large or very small quantities. Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.

General Procedures: A.) Give students a Whodunnit Worksheet. Students will need to solve the 10 problems about the topic. Each correct answer will result in a clue. Students will check off the Players, Last Known Whereabouts and Methods that are accounted for. The one remaining from each column is the correct solution. In this case it should be:

“Dr. Alpha used a venomous bite in the atrium.” B.) Print out the “Clues” and cut them out. I suggest you laminate them for future use. Spread them in different locations in the classroom and turn the students loose. Have teams of 2-3 circulate and attempt to figure out the clues. Once they think they have all the pieces they can come to you to check their answer. If they are wrong, let them figure it out ☺ An alternative “Clue 10” is provided in the event you want a different result for different class periods.


Whodunnit? Name:_______________________________

Six contestants on a reality TV show were stunned to find their lowest scoring colleague was “murdered.” They must figure out the crime before the bell rings. The question is Whodunnit? And how… The Player, Last Known Whereabouts and Method that are left unaccounted for -- is the solution.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.


7.

8.

9.

10.

Who is the “Killer”? (The three boxes left unchecked will reveal the crime. If you cannot figure it out, you may be next.)

The Players The Last Known Whereabouts

The Method

Dr. Alpha Atrium Chemical Poisoning

Miss Beta Gym Drowning

Mrs. Gamma Kitchen Electrocution

Professor Delta Library Fallen Object

Mr. Epsilon Movie Theater Mauled by a Cougar

Coach Omega Pool Venomous Bite


???

Clue #1 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚: 5.34 × 10!

534 A cougar did not maul the victim.

5,340 Mr. Epsilon was preparing a snack in the kitchen.

53,400 Miss Beta was relaxing by the pool.

534,000 A venomous snake did not bite the victim.

whodunnit? Clue #2

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚: 8.1 × 10!!

.081 Professor Delta was watching a French documentary in the theater.

.81 The victim did not have a venomous bite.

8.1 Mrs. Gamma was using an elliptical machine in the gym.

81 The murder was not done with a fallen object.

???


???

Clue #3 whodunnit?


31.478 Coach Omega was tanning by the pool.

314.78 Professor Delta was adjusting the equipment in the gym.

3,147.8 Chemical poisoning was not the cause of death.

31,478 A cougar did not maul the victim.

whodunnit? Clue #4

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚: −4.0698 × 10!

-406.98 Dr. Alpha was sipping tea by the pool.

-4,069.8 The victim did not drown.

-40,698 Miss Beta was watching a movie in the theater.

-406,980 A cougar did not maul the victim.

???


???

Clue #5 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 980,000

9.8 x 102 Chemical poisoning is not the cause of death.

9.8 x 103 Mrs. Gamma was exercising in the gym.

9.8 x 104 A cougar did not maul the victim.

9.8 x 105 Coach Omega was making lunch in the kitchen.

whodunnit? Clue #6

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 7,436,100

.74361 x 107 Professor Delta was researching in the library.

74.361 x 105 The victim did not have a venomous bite.

7.4361 x 106 The murder was not carried out with a fallen object.

7.4361 x 105 Mr. Epsilon was watering plants in the atrium.

???


???

Clue #7 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: . 0000000083

83 x 10-10 Dr. Alpha was on the treadmill in the gym.

8.3 x 10-10 The victim did not die of electrocution.

8.3 x 10-9 The victim did not drown.

83 x 10-9 Miss Beta was reading in the kitchen.

whodunnit? Clue #8

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: −20,081

-2.081 x 104 The victim was not electrocuted.

-2.0081 x 104 Mr. Epsilon was exercising in the gym.

-20.081 x 104 The victim did not drown.

-2.008 x 104 Mrs. Gamma was changing a light bulb in the library.

???


???

Clue #9 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 283 × 10!

28.3 x 106 Dr. Alpha was reading in the library.

2.83 x 107 Death was not by electrocution.

2.83 x 108 The murder was not because of a venomous bite.

.283 x 108 Mrs. Gamma was playing a game on her iPad in the atrium.

whodunnit? Clue #10

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: −.07 × 10!!

7 x 10-8 The murder was not because of a venomous bite.

-7.0 x 10-10 Mrs. Gamma was reshelving books in the library.

-7.0 x 10-11 Dr. Alpha was napping on a couch in the atrium.

-7.0 x 10-12 The murder was not a drowning.

???


???

Alternate Ending whodunnit?

“Mrs. Gamma used a venomous bite in the library.”

whodunnit? Clue #10






???


???

Clue #1 whodunnit?


534 A cougar did not maul the victim.

5,340 Mr. Epsilon was preparing a snack in the kitchen.

53,400 Miss Beta was relaxing by the pool.

534,000 A venomous snake did not bite the victim.

whodunnit? Clue #2

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚: 8.1 × 10!!

.081 Professor Delta was watching a French documentary in the theater.

.81 The victim did not have a venomous bite.

8.1 Mrs. Gamma was using an elliptical machine in the gym.

81 The murder was not done with a fallen object.

???


???

Clue #3 whodunnit?


31.478 Coach Omega was tanning by the pool.

314.78 Professor Delta was adjusting the equipment in the gym.

3,147.8 Chemical poisoning was not the cause of death.

31,478 A cougar did not maul the victim.

whodunnit? Clue #4

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚: −4.0698 × 10!

-406.98 Dr. Alpha was sipping tea by the pool.

-4,069.8 The victim did not drown.

-40,698 Miss Beta was watching a movie in the theater.

-406,980 A cougar did not maul the victim.

???


???

Clue #5 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 980,000

9.8 x 102 Chemical poisoning is not the cause of death.

9.8 x 103 Mrs. Gamma was exercising in the gym.

9.8 x 104 A cougar did not maul the victim.

9.8 x 105 Coach Omega was making lunch in the kitchen.

whodunnit? Clue #6

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 7,436,100

.74361 x 107 Professor Delta was researching in the library.

74.361 x 105 The victim did not have a venomous bite.

7.4361 x 106 The murder was not carried out with a fallen object.

7.4361 x 105 Mr. Epsilon was watering plants in the atrium.

???


???

Clue #7 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: . 0000000083

83 x 10-10 Dr. Alpha was on the treadmill in the gym.

8.3 x 10-10 The victim did not die of electrocution.

8.3 x 10-9 The victim did not drown.

83 x 10-9 Miss Beta was reading in the kitchen.

whodunnit? Clue #8

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: −20,081

-2.081 x 104 The victim was not electrocuted.

-2.0081 x 104 Mr. Epsilon was exercising in the gym.

-20.081 x 104 The victim did not drown.

-2.008 x 104 Mrs. Gamma was changing a light bulb in the library.

???


???

Clue #9 whodunnit?

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 283 × 10!

28.3 x 106 Dr. Alpha was reading in the library.

2.83 x 107 Death was not by electrocution.

2.83 x 108 The murder was not because of a venomous bite.

.283 x 108 Mrs. Gamma was playing a game on her iPad in the atrium.

whodunnit? Clue #10






???


???

Alternate Ending whodunnit?

“Mrs. Gamma used a venomous bite in the library”.

whodunnit? Clue #10






???

© clark creative education€¦ · six contestants on a reality tv show were stunned to find their...

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