Algebra One: Murder Mystery

You are a detective on the south coast of the UK. A person has been reported missing, presumed
murdered. Your job is to solve the crime by working through the problems to discover:

• where the incident happened;

• what happened to the missing person;

• when the incident happened;

• the criminal’s motive;

• who the criminal is.

NE
CRIME SCE
OSS
E S C E N E DO NOT CR
SS CRIM
S C E N E D O NOT CRO
CRIME
CROSS

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Where? Expanding and Factorising

Match the expanded expressions with their factorised forms using a straight line. Rearrange the
enclosed letters (where lines make complete shapes) to find the name of a UK town. If there is a blank
space, you will need to fill in the missing expression.

4(x + 5) x² – 16x + 64
D

M
3(2x – 9) 4x + 20
V
K
S

5x(3 – x) 15x – 5x²

T I
C

U
X
x² – 3x – 4
G
N
Y
O
B
(x + 3)(x + 7) 6x – 27
A
P
H E
Q
(x – 4)(x + 1) x² – 64
J

F
R

(x – 8)² L x² + 10x + 21

W
Z

9x² + 12x

Enclosed Letters:  Town: 

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

What? Algebraic Notation

Decide whether each of the algebraic statements is an expression, equation, identity or formula, then
use the table to record how many of each there are.

3x = 2 + x 

A = πr² 

8p – 5 

(x + y)(x – y) = x² – y² 

r² = 17 

3x + 2 

3y + 2y = 5y 

8p + 3r² 

y = mx + c 

P = 2w + 2l 
y
5
=9 

Expression Equation Identity Formula

• If the column with the least entries is the Expression column,

then the missing person has been kidnapped.

• If the column with the least entries is the Equation column,

then the missing person was murdered with a set square.

• If the column with the least entries is the Identity column,

then the missing person was badly injured with a compass.

• If the column with the least entries is the Formula column,

then the missing person was murdered with a bag of dice.

Incident: 

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

When? Solving Equations

Solve the following equations to give you a date in the form DD/MM/YYYY, reading from top to bottom.

8y = 16

p + 9 = 12

x+4=4

2b + 5 = 19

x
2 = 0.5

8 = 17 – q

3r – 5 = 2r + 4

5(y + 3) = 39 + 2y

Date: 

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Why? Substitution
Substitute the given values into each expression.

a. 4x when x = 7

b. 2y + 5 when y = 0.5

c. 3p – 1 when p = −2

d. 2r² when r = 3

e. 4 − 2z when z = −5

f. 3ab if a = −2 and b = −4

Now put the answers in order of size, from smallest to largest.

• If the correct order is cdbefa, then the incident occurred

because the victim didn’t like solving equations.

• If the correct order is cbedfa, then the incident occurred

because the criminal was irrational.

• If the correct order is fcbdea, then the incident occurred

because the victim said he was better at substitution than
the criminal.

• If the correct order is cfbeda, then the incident occurred

because the victim was just too square.

Order:  Reason: 

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Who? Simplifying Expressions

Simplify each expression then use the key in the table to work out the name of the criminal.

1. 3a + 2a =

2. 5a × 3a =

3. 4 × 5a =

4. b + b + b + b =

5. 2a + 5b + a + 3b =

6. 4a + 7b – a + b =

7. 11a² + 2a + 4a² – 2a =

I D E V H L M N P
4b 9a 15a² 20a b⁵ 3a + 8b 8a² 5a 15a

Criminal’s Name: 

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Where? Expanding and Factorising Answers

Match the expanded expressions with their factorised forms using a straight line. Rearrange the
enclosed letters (where lines make complete shapes) to find the name of a UK town. If there is a blank
space, you will need to fill in the missing expression.

4(x + 5) x² – 16x + 64
D

M
3(2x – 9) 4x + 20
V
K
S

5x(3 – x) 15x – 5x²

T I
C

U
X
3x(3x + 4) x² – 3x – 4
G
N
Y
O
B
(x + 3)(x + 7) 6x – 27
A
P
H E
Q
(x – 4)(x + 1) x² – 64
J

F
R

(x – 8)² L x² + 10x + 21

W
Z

(x + 8)(x − 8) 9x² + 12x

Enclosed Letters:  T I G N O B H R Town:  B R I G H T O N

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

What? Algebraic Notation Answers

Decide whether each of the algebraic statements is an expression, equation, identity or formula, then
use the table to record how many of each there are.

3x = 2 + x equation

A = πr² formula

8p – 5 expression

(x + y)(x – y) = x² – y² identity

r² = 17 equation

3x + 2 expression

3y + 2y = 5y identity

8p + 3r² expression

y = mx + c formula

P = 2w + 2l formula
y
5
=9 equation

Expression Equation Identity Formula

3 3 2 3

• If the column with the least entries is the Expression column,

then the missing person has been kidnapped.

• If the column with the least entries is the Equation column,

then the missing person was murdered with a set square.

• If the column with the least entries is the Identity column,

then the missing person was badly injured with a compass.

• If the column with the least entries is the Formula column,

then the missing person was murdered with a bag of dice.

Incident: The missing person was badly injured with a compass.

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

When? Solving Equations Answers

Solve the following equations to give you a date in the form DD/MM/YYYY, reading from top to bottom.

8y = 16 y=2

p + 9 = 12 p=3

x+4=4 x=0

2b + 5 = 19 b=7

x
2 = 0.5 x=1

8 = 17 – q q=9

3r – 5 = 2r + 4 r=9

5(y + 3) = 39 + 2y y=8

Date: 23/07/1998

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Why? Substitution Answers

Substitute the given values into each expression.

a. 4x when x = 7 28

b. 2y + 5 when y = 0.5 6

c. 3p – 1 when p = −2 −7

d. 2r² when r = 3 18

e. 4 − 2z when z = −5 14

f. 3ab if a = −2 and b = −4 24

Now put the answers in order of size, from smallest to largest.

• If the correct order is cdbefa, then the incident occurred

because the victim didn’t like solving equations.

• If the correct order is cbedfa, then the incident occurred

because the criminal was irrational.

• If the correct order is fcbdea, then the incident occurred

because the victim said he was better at substitution than
the criminal.

• If the correct order is cfbeda, then the incident occurred

because the victim was just too square.

Order: cbedfa Reason: The criminal was irrational.

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 Algebra One: Murder Mystery

Who? Simplifying Expressions Answers

Simplify each expression then use the key in the table to work out the name of the criminal.

1. 3a + 2a = 5a

2. 5a × 3a = 15a²

3. 4 × 5a = 20a

4. b + b + b + b = 4b

5. 2a + 5b + a + 3b = 3a + 8b

6. 4a + 7b – a + b = 3a + 8b

7. 11a² + 2a + 4a² – 2a = 15a²

I D E V H L M N P
4b 9a 15a² 20a b⁵ 3a + 8b 8a² 5a 15a

Criminal’s Name: Neville

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