# Test The Nation (U.S. - IQ) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899 "2003-06-05T18:59:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/61 "2003-06-09T14:40:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Optihut \* > \*\*And - no disrespect to older people - it’s more amazing for a 60 year old to do math in time than it is for a 20 year old. \*\* Have to disagree with you on that. All the people of my parents (sixty something) generation had to do mental arithmetic in school. I didn’t have to and now I hear the times-tables aren’t even being taught in schools because all kids have calculators and are encouraged to use them, even for exams. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/62 "2003-06-09T14:46:31Z")
I’m wondering if my answer to the alcohol consumption actually gave me an _advantage_ - as in “my God, with his brain that pickled, it’s amazing he turned on the computer in the first place! Let’s give him an extra 50 points”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/63 "2003-06-09T15:18:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by curly chick \* > \*\*Have to disagree with you on that. All the people of my parents (sixty something) generation had to do mental arithmetic in school. I didn’t have to and now I hear the times-tables aren’t even being taught in schools because all kids have calculators and are encouraged to use them, even for exams. \*\* It seems to be true, at least in some schools. Mine was one of the last years that went through HS on the “no-calculator” rule (I graduated in 1985). The ability to do rapid calculation in my head has served me in good stead in a number of jobs involving statistical reporting; for simple calculations I can add mentally faster than I could type it into the calculator (of course, maybe I just need to improve my typing speed). 😉 [sub] Kids today… \[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/64 "2003-06-09T16:08:04Z")
I guessed my IQ would be 120. (I had taken an online IQ test a while back and did very well, but I always figured it was off.) My actual IQ from this site: 134 Language: 11/12 (I realized afterwards that aeroplane is a Brittish spelling and couldn’t figure it out while I was doing it.) Memory: 12/12 Logic: 20/22 Numbers: 12/12 Perception: 10/12 (I didn’t read how fast the time went there and let the first one slip because of time.) I was surprised at the numbers part as I generally don’t feel I do well in math. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/65 "2003-06-09T22:11:50Z")
IQ: 135 (estimated 130) About the same as I usually get on these… Language: 12/12 Memory 11/12 Logic 21/22 Numbers 9/12 (in my defense, I was talking to my mother on this part) Perception 10/12 (unsurprising. I’m good at spatial stuff, but it takes me a long time to get them. Also, I can’t tell my right from my left, so the right-left turns thing screwed me up.) I told them that I was in the South and that my nearest city was Liverpool. Think that messed up anybody’s tables? ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/66 "2003-06-10T03:45:54Z")
125 actual, 135 estimated. Off to clean my browser cookies. . . ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/67 "2003-06-10T07:46:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Off to clean my browser cookies. . . Sounds kinky 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/68 "2003-06-10T09:34:03Z")
135 (est. 130) Not bad for this board. I’m 28 by the way. Lan: 11/12 Mem: 12/12 Log: 21/22 Num: 12/12 Per: 11/12 Cool. Lots of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/69 "2003-06-10T10:46:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Lowry \* > \*\*I just took the test and got a 135, but now I’m trying to find on their website why there are the limits on IQ for the different age groups. I can’t seem to find anything about that though. > > So does anyone know why you have to be over 55 to get a 150 IQ and if there is any correlation to other IQ tests with this? It seemed awfully curious to me. \*\* [FAQ on age](http://www.bbc.co.uk/testthenation/faq_web.shtml#age) ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899/70 "2003-06-11T06:47:36Z")
135 for me. 9/12 on numbers, which doesn’t surprise me at all, since I have the mathematical abilities of a vacuum cleaner. 21/22 on logic, which does surprise me, because I usually get nipped pretty hard in that category. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-the-nation-u-s-iq/179899.md?page=3)