Lockpicking

Lockpicking is an activity in JumpStart Adventures 5th Grade: Jo Hammet, Kid Detective. It is designed to teach math at a fifth grade level.

Description
When Jo first arrives at a sabotaged site, the doors to the site will require the locks to be picked. Each lock is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, consisting of four identical smaller triangles. These smaller triangles contain a different math problem on all three sides that the player must solve. When the player clicks on one of the question marks, a smaller screen will pop up that will allow the player to type in numbers. If the player's answer is correct, the green light will flash, and the number will replace the question mark. If the answer is incorrect, the red light will flash.

Once all the problems are solved, the user has to rotate and move around the pieces so that touching sides equal the same number. Each of the small triangles can be moved by clicking on one, and then clicking on another triangle to swap their places. The player can rotate a triangle by clicking on one and then pushing the spacebar.

Each door will contain two sets of equations, either addition and subtraction, or multiplication and division. The types of equations alternate for each sabotaged site. Once the player has completed the first set (either addition or multiplication), then the lockpicking process must be repeated with the second set (either subtraction or division).

Difficulty level differences

 * Level one:
 * Addition: Working with numbers up to three digits.
 * Subtraction: Working with numbers up to three digits.
 * Multiplication: Working with numbers up to three digits.
 * Division: Working with single-digit remainders.
 * Level two:
 * Addition: Working with numbers up to four digits.
 * Subtraction: Working with numbers up to four digits.
 * Multiplication: Working with numbers up to six digits.
 * Division: Working with two-digit remainders.
 * Level three:
 * Addition: Working with numbers up to five digits.
 * Subtraction: Working with numbers up to six digits.
 * Multiplication: Working with numbers up to nine digits.
 * Division: Working with three-digit remainders.

Help file description
At each sabotage location, you'll find a unique combination lock. Who exactly are they trying to keep out of here? Oh well, I think I can get this open. All it's going to take is a little bit of brainpower. Looks like we've got to answer some questions, then rearrange the triangles so the answers line up. Ready to help out?


 * To begin, click on a question mark.
 * Answer the equation. A correct answer will give you a GREEN light, an incorrect answer will give you a RED light.
 * Before you can move a triangle, you must answer all equations on that triangle.
 * Pick up a completed triangle by clicking on it. Use your Space Bar to rotate it to the correct position.
 * Click over the new location to place the piece. This will automatically pick up the piece below it, so you can place that. To do this you also need to have answered all equations in the triangle.


 * You will need to solve two sets of equations -- addition and subtraction or multiplication and division. Solving a set of equations will give you a green light for that set. Once both sets are solved, the door will open.