# Are you smarter than a 5th grader? A quiz. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 8, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282 "2007-05-08T17:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/21 "2007-05-08T19:23:33Z")
Man! I only had 84%. For some reason “Inca” meant Mexico to me so I said North America. I don’t know what I was thinking in question 1 - I really DID know that. I really did! The autumnal equinox - can’t remember which one I chose wrongly. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/22 "2007-05-08T19:24:18Z")
89% I got the two American-centric ones wrong. But I got a couple of wild guesses right. So I’m happy with my score. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/23 "2007-05-08T19:26:33Z")
[QUOTE=Whammo] 94% - missed the lowest prime number. Never have been good at math. [/QUOTE] Same here… ---
**Author:** ![Crescend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/24 "2007-05-08T19:28:03Z")
94%, I also said that the Grand Canyon was in New Mexico rather than Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Jelymag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jelymag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jelymag)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/25 "2007-05-08T19:29:44Z")
I missed two, the lowest prime number one. For someone who is good at math, I always see prime number and think “What is that again?” a lot. The other one I missed was the heptagon one, because I, of course saw "hex"agon. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/26 "2007-05-08T19:30:28Z")
So, the lowest prime number _isn’t_ 2?! ---
**Author:** ![Vimp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vimp/32/4186_2.png) [@Vimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vimp)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/27 "2007-05-08T19:32:16Z")
1 wrong - lowest prime number. This seems to be a favorite one to get wrong … ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/28 "2007-05-08T19:32:50Z")
Prime number and four corners for me – 89%. Yeah …somebody get in here and tell us what a damn prime number is anyway. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/29 "2007-05-08T19:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=Crescend] 94%, I also said that the Grand Canyon was in New Mexico rather than Arizona. [/QUOTE] Their advertising is not working. > **[Arizona Passenger License Plates 1956-2008](https://www.azplates.com/pass1956-05.htm)** > > Arizona Passenger License Plates 1956-2008 ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/30 "2007-05-08T19:40:11Z")
[QUOTE=jali] For some reason “Inca” meant Mexico to me so I said North America. [/QUOTE] That was exactly why I got that wrong. That and the prime number thing gave me a 89% ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/31 "2007-05-08T19:46:35Z")
[QUOTE=Pygmy Rugger] So, the lowest prime number _isn’t_ 2?! [/QUOTE] It is indeed 2, and I got credit for answering it (as well as all other questions – hi **NinjaChick** and **TwoTrouts**!) correctly. **Ellen Cherry** : A prime number has two distinct factors, those being 1 and itself. 1 is 1 x 1 – the factors are identical, not distinct, so 1 is not prime. 2 is 1 x 2 – prime. 3 is 1 x 3 – prime. 4 is 2 x 2 – not prime. Any greater multiple of 2, 3, 5 (which is prime), or any other prime is, thus, not prime. Any non-prime number greater than 2 can be expressed as the product of primes – for example, 896 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7, or 2 to the seventh power x 7. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/32 "2007-05-08T20:00:22Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] **Ellen Cherry** : A prime number has two distinct factors, those being 1 and itself. 1 is 1 x 1 – the factors are identical, not distinct, so 1 is not prime. [/QUOTE] Without that “distinct” bit, 1 would be. And I’ve heard it said that 2 isn’t, because it’s even, or some such nonsense. On the TV show, one of the questions was “How many planets are there in the solar system?” Who the hell could answer that? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/33 "2007-05-08T20:00:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] It is indeed 2, and I got credit for answering it (as well as all other questions – hi **NinjaChick** and **TwoTrouts**!) correctly. **Ellen Cherry** : A prime number has two distinct factors, those being 1 and itself. 1 is 1 x 1 – the factors are identical, not distinct, so 1 is not prime. 2 is 1 x 2 – prime. 3 is 1 x 3 – prime. 4 is 2 x 2 – not prime. Any greater multiple of 2, 3, 5 (which is prime), or any other prime is, thus, not prime. Any non-prime number greater than 2 can be expressed as the product of primes – for example, 896 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 7, or 2 to the seventh power x 7. [/QUOTE] Well I had something of a whiff of this, but I chose 0 because I thought 1 x 0 are two different factors… But mostly I’m too lazy to throw much brain power in math’s direction, so I really didn’t expect to get that one right. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/34 "2007-05-08T20:01:13Z")
100%. I is smrt. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/35 "2007-05-08T20:02:39Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Without that “distinct” bit, 1 would be. And I’ve heard it said that 2 isn’t, because it’s even, or some such nonsense. On the TV show, one of the questions was “How many planets are there in the solar system?” Who the hell could answer that? [/QUOTE] Surely they were going for 9, even though it seems to change daily whether Pluto is or not. .. or if there’s some other one out there. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/36 "2007-05-08T20:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=Ellen Cherry] Well I had something of a whiff of this, but I chose 0 because I thought 1 x 0 are two different factors. [/QUOTE] Yes, but 0 can also be expressed as 0 x 2, 0 x 3, 0 x 4, _et cetera_ to infinity. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/37 "2007-05-08T20:03:37Z")
Question 12 seemed interesting… “12. Who was the first person to \*\*step \*\* foot on the moon?” I missed the America-centric ones too - I still have no idea what a Four Corner is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/38 "2007-05-08T20:12:15Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Question 12 seemed interesting… “12. Who was the first person to \*\*step \*\* foot on the moon?” I missed the America-centric ones too - I still have no idea what a Four Corner is. 😃 [/QUOTE] The only point in the lower 48 where four states meet at a central location ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/39 "2007-05-08T20:12:18Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] Question 12 seemed interesting… “12. Who was the first person to \*\*step \*\* foot on the moon?” I missed the America-centric ones too - I still have no idea what a Four Corner is. 😃 [/QUOTE] [Four Corners](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_%28United_States%29) generally refers to point where four separate states meet - Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. It’s the only place in the US where four states touch. There’s a little monument marking the exact spot, a whole bunch of Native guys selling overpriced jewelry and postcards, and absolutely nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282/40 "2007-05-08T20:21:38Z")
I got 94%. I know nothin’ about turtles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader-a-quiz/403282.md?page=3)