Grandpa Peterson is working on his secret invention
when Mind Benders club members Larry, Emily and Jasper arrive to study for an exam. They
begin talking about codes, and how algebra can be used to communicate. Grandpa takes a
map that shows the topography of the area surrounding Cumberland City,
along with a few things that Grandpa has added, such as the location of
all the local air raid sirens. Grandpa uses the map to talk about a
Revolutionary War battle which took place around Cumberland City.
Grandpa shows the Mind Benders Club how generals could send
coded messages by enclosing a message within a letter. When a cutout is
placed over the letter, the hidden message becomes clear. The kids are
intrigued, but it's getting on toward dinner time, so everyone goes home
after agreeing to meet again the following afternoon.
When the Club comes back the next day, Grandpa is not there.
Instead, a strange note has been left behind. The note says Grandpa has been called away on business,
but Grandpa doesn't have a business. They rush to
solve the algebra equations Grandpa enclosed with his note. They graph the
equations and place the resulting shape over Grandpa's letter. It's a
code, and the letter says that Grandpa has been kidnapped!
Grandpa doesn't know where he is, but he will send data
soon. In the meantime, he asks the teenagers to prepare SMART Tools so
they can easily interpret the data and use it to find his location on the
map. The challenge for the students in the classroom is to help
Larry, Emily and Jasper design the SMART Tools. After creating the tools they will use
them to interpret Grandpa's data, which he communicates using algebra, and
attempt to locate where he is being held. Will they be able to find
Grandpa in time to save his invention from the nefarious hands that stole it?