What exactly is IQ? It is not so much about acquired knowledge, although that is also largely related to this value. But it is mainly a measure of human intelligence, including logical thinking, the ability to solve problems, spatial imagination and yes – of course, the ability to learn. How are you doing?
The value of IQ, i.e. the so-called intelligence quotient, is measured by experts with the help of specially designed tests that examine a person’s cognitive abilities, putting him before the necessity of solving various tasks in a short time, not only in the field of mathematics, but especially those that test the brain’s ability to quickly orientate in a given problem and determining the correct procedure for its solution. Sometimes it is also about understanding the written text, which is one of the important characteristics of intelligent people.
How quickly do you solve problems?
The speed with which the brain is able to process and correctly (!) evaluate each complicated situation and question also has a decisive influence on the result of such a test. It can happen – and it often happens in life, that a seemingly simple question has a much more complicated answer. In short: not everything is as it seems at first glance. So try to answer three simple questions for yourself. How many of your answers will be correct?
How much is the ball?
Imagine that you go to buy, for example, a tennis racket with a ball. In total, you will pay 110 crowns in the store (although of course this is not realistic…), while the racket itself was 100 CZK more expensive than the ball. How much did the racket cost and how much did you pay for the ball?
Making hundreds of pots
In a factory, they have five machines that produce any product – let’s think it’s pots, for example. In five minutes, five machines produce five pots. How many minutes will it take all the hundred machines to make one hundred new pots?
A lake full of water lilies
Behind the village is a beautiful lake, which is gradually overgrown with water lilies. They do well, and therefore the area covered by them doubles every day, until after 48 days the entire lake is completely covered with green leaves. The question is: on how many days was exactly half of its surface covered with water lilies?
Did you hit the right price?
Did you answer the questions asked and are your conclusions justified? Then you must have correctly calculated that the rocket did not cost (as it might seem at first glance) one hundred but one hundred and five crowns. The ball cost exactly one hundred crowns less, i.e. five crowns – and both pieces of sports equipment together cost the buyer 110 CZK. Didn’t you make a beginner’s mistake and think about this problem anyway? Congratulations!
Still the same time for one piece of product
The next question was not difficult either, but the answer to it is not as clear-cut as a short-sighted person might think. Five machines – five pots – five minutes: that is, a hundred machines – a hundred pots – and again only five minutes. Not a hundred minutes, really just five. Each machine produces one product in five minutes, regardless of how many machines are working at one time. It’s that simple. But surely you knew that too.
Every day double…
And finally, the problem with the overgrown lake. As we know, the vegetated area is doubling every day. So whoever answered that half of the 48 days needed to cover the lake is logically 24 days, did not think about the principle of nature. Half of the water surface, which doubled overnight to the entire lake, was covered with water lilies just one day earlier – that is, in 47 days. It makes sense, right?
Measure twice, then answer
How did you do? If you have a “3 out of 3”, then congratulations on your brilliant judgement. You won’t get drunk on a roll. And if not – it doesn’t matter, in the future it will be enough not to judge hastily and to think for a few seconds longer before making an unequivocal judgment.
Sources: alfasoft.com, www.iflscience.com, www.rova.nz
