🚀
MATH BLAST
The Space Arc · Issue 1
MATH BLAST
🚀 THE MISSING QUARTER
Jake arrives at Kepler Station — and the fuel readings make no sense!
🎙️ Narrated Edition
Narrated by George · Jake voiced by Andrew · Fuel Officer Priya & The Phantom voiced by River
Chapter 1 of 5
⭐ 0 / 10
🚀 Chapter 1 — Docking Bay Drama
The Gauges Are Reading Fractions — What Do They Mean?
Press ▶ to hear the story
The Interstellar Fuel Network kept every ship in the galaxy moving. Hundreds of stations, thousands of tanks — all tracked, all measured. Until now.
Jake Nova, Junior Fuel Inspector, docked at Kepler Station — a busy depot orbiting a red dwarf star at the edge of the sector. "Alright, alright — I've got this," he told himself. "First solo assignment. Let's see what we're dealing with."
Fuel Officer Priya met him at the airlock, arms crossed. "Inspector Nova. Our tanks are showing fraction readings and half my crew doesn't know what they mean. Three cargo ships are waiting to refuel. If we can't figure this out, their crews will be stranded in deep space."
Jake pulled out his notebook. "Fractions I can do. Let me start with my own ship's gauge."
Jake Nova, Junior Fuel Inspector, docked at Kepler Station — a busy depot orbiting a red dwarf star at the edge of the sector. "Alright, alright — I've got this," he told himself. "First solo assignment. Let's see what we're dealing with."
Fuel Officer Priya met him at the airlock, arms crossed. "Inspector Nova. Our tanks are showing fraction readings and half my crew doesn't know what they mean. Three cargo ships are waiting to refuel. If we can't figure this out, their crews will be stranded in deep space."
Jake pulled out his notebook. "Fractions I can do. Let me start with my own ship's gauge."
🔒 Listen to the story first to unlock your mission!
Y3 Question 1 — Unit Fractions
Jake's fuel tank is divided into 4 equal sections.
Exactly 1 section is full.
What fraction of the tank is full?
Exactly 1 section is full.
What fraction of the tank is full?
⛽ Chapter 2 — Reading the Gauges
Three Tanks — Three Different Fractions!
Press ▶ to hear the story
Priya led Jake to the main tank bay — a vast hangar lined with enormous cylindrical tanks, each showing a glowing fraction display. Three ships blinked orange at the docking clamps, waiting.
"Tank A, Tank B, Tank C," Priya said. "I need to know exactly what fraction of fuel is in each one. Can you read them?"
Jake nodded. "Let me calculate this carefully."
"Tank A, Tank B, Tank C," Priya said. "I need to know exactly what fraction of fuel is in each one. Can you read them?"
Jake nodded. "Let me calculate this carefully."
🔒 Listen to the story to unlock this challenge!
Y3 Question 2 — Halves
Tank A is divided into 2 equal parts.
One part is full.
What fraction is Tank A?
One part is full.
What fraction is Tank A?
👻 Chapter 3 — The Phantom Clue
Someone Stole Exactly One Quarter From Every Tank!
Press ▶ to hear the story
Priya had been checking the station logs. She called Jake over, her expression grim.
"Look at this. There's a ghost entry from last night — exactly one quarter of the fuel in each tank was transferred to an unknown destination. Whoever did this was... very precise."
Jake stared at the screen. "One quarter from each tank? Let me work out what that means..."
"Look at this. There's a ghost entry from last night — exactly one quarter of the fuel in each tank was transferred to an unknown destination. Whoever did this was... very precise."
Jake stared at the screen. "One quarter from each tank? Let me work out what that means..."
🔒 Listen to the story to unlock this challenge!
Y3 Question 4 — What Was Taken?
Tank C was completely full — all 4 sections filled.
Now it shows only 3 sections full.
What fraction was taken?
Now it shows only 3 sections full.
What fraction was taken?
🛸 Chapter 4 — Enough to Launch?
Can the Waiting Ships Get Their Fuel?
Press ▶ to hear the story
Three ships were waiting. Ship Orion needed a completely full tank to make its run. Ship Lyra only needed half a tank. Jake had to figure out if there was enough fuel — using the fractional readings.
"Okay. Tank A has one half. Tank C has three quarters. If I combine them..." Jake scribbled in his notebook. "Let me calculate this carefully."
"Okay. Tank A has one half. Tank C has three quarters. If I combine them..." Jake scribbled in his notebook. "Let me calculate this carefully."
🔒 Listen to the story to unlock this challenge!
Y4 Question 6 — Adding Fractions
Ship Orion needs a full tank (4/4).
Tank A has 1/2. Tank C has 3/4.
If we combine Tank A and Tank C, is there enough for Orion?
Tank A has 1/2. Tank C has 3/4.
If we combine Tank A and Tank C, is there enough for Orion?
👾 Chapter 5 — The First Clue
The Missing Fuel Went Somewhere — and Something Left a Message!
Press ▶ to hear the story
The ships were fuelled — some fully, some partially. The immediate crisis was managed. But Priya handed Jake a printout that made his stomach drop.
"The transfer logs are clear. Three tanks, each drained by one quarter. The fuel was sent to Station Vega — far across the sector. And it happened over three separate nights. One quarter at a time."
Jake stared at the numbers. "Three tanks, one quarter each. That's three quarter-portions total. And the same fraction, three nights in a row... whoever did this is very, very methodical."
"The transfer logs are clear. Three tanks, each drained by one quarter. The fuel was sent to Station Vega — far across the sector. And it happened over three separate nights. One quarter at a time."
Jake stared at the numbers. "Three tanks, one quarter each. That's three quarter-portions total. And the same fraction, three nights in a row... whoever did this is very, very methodical."
🔒 Listen to the story to unlock this challenge!
Y3 Question 9 — Fractions × Whole Numbers
Three tanks were each drained by 1/4.
How many quarter-portions were taken in total?
How many quarter-portions were taken in total?
Press ▶ to hear what happens next
Jake was staring at the printout when the communications panel crackled. A holographic figure flickered to life — translucent blue, made entirely of shifting fraction bars and glowing number lines. It spoke in a calm, precise voice.
"I have only been fair. Every station received exactly what they needed. Every fraction was calculated precisely."
Then it vanished. Jake stared at the empty panel for a long moment. The Fraction Phantom had made contact.
"I have only been fair. Every station received exactly what they needed. Every fraction was calculated precisely."
Then it vanished. Jake stared at the empty panel for a long moment. The Fraction Phantom had made contact.
🏆
MISSION COMPLETE!
You scored 10 / 10 on the first try!
⭐⭐⭐
Jake cracked the fuel mystery at Kepler Station — and the Fraction Phantom has made contact. The mystery of the missing fractions has only just begun.
What You Mastered Today 🧠
- ✅ Unit fractions — 1/4, 1/2 as parts of a whole (Fractions, Year 3)
- ✅ Other fractions — 3/8, 3/4 named and represented
- ✅ Comparing fractions — is 3/8 more or less than 1/2? (Year 3–4)
- ✅ Adding fractions — combining 1/2 + 3/4 (Year 4)
- ✅ Boss: Dividing fractions — 3/4 ÷ 3 = 1/4 (Year 4)
Join us for Issue #2 — when Jake tracks the stolen fuel into the Fog Nebula! 🌌
🚀 Back to Math Blast