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Testing the Nation
Test the Nation: The National IQ Test' is taking place this weekend. It will be the biggest ever IQ test in the UK (broadcast on BBC1 on Saturday May 11, hosted by Anne Robinson and Phillip Schofield). To find out more about how to take part, or view the results as they come in, visit the 'Test the Nation' website. Meanwhile if you want to give your brain cells a warm up, try taking this test devised by Mensa to test the cerebral quality of the Today audience.

You have a half an hour to answer 30 questions. Because of the speed of internet traffic and server response time, the actual time taken is not factored into the scoring. Please time yourself and be honest.

When you are done, press the 'Submit Answers' button and the test will be scored and answers to all questions provided.

1. Sally likes 225 but not 224; she likes 900 but not 800; she likes 144 but not 145. Which does she like:

1600 1700

2. If two typists can type two pages in two minutes, how many typists will it take to type 18 pages in six minutes?

3 4 6 12 36

3. If it were two hours later, it would be half as long until midnight as it would be if it were an hour later. What time is it now?

18:30 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:30

4. Which of the following proverbs is closest in meaning to the saying, "Birds of a feather, flock together."?

"One swallow doesn't make a summer."
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
"A man is known by the company he keeps."
"Fine feathers make fine birds."
"Don't judge a book by its cover."

5. What is the number that is one half of one quarter of one tenth of 400?

2 5 8 10 40

6. If you count from 1 to 100, how many 7's will you pass on the way?

10 11 19 20 21

7. Each number shown below follows a certain rule. Figure out the rule and fill in the missing number.

January20
April10
May5
November15
July?

5 10 15 20 25

8. Look at the drawing. The numbers alongside each column and row are the total of the values of the symbols within each column and row. What should replace the question mark?

23
25
28
30
32

9. Two men, starting at the same point, walk in opposite directions for 4 meters, turn left and walk another 3 meters. What is the distance between them?

2 meters 6 meters 10 meters 12.5 meters 14 meters

10. If a circle is one, how many is an octagon?

2 4 6 8 12

11. Which of the following sentences given below means approximately the same as the proverb: "Don't count your chickens until they are hatched?"

Some eggs have double yolks, so you can't really count eggs and chickens.
You can't walk around the henhouse to count the eggs because it will disturb the hens and they won't lay eggs.
It is not really sensible to rely on something that has not yet happened and may not ever happen.
Since eggs break so easily, you may not be accurate in your count of future chickens.

12. There are 1200 elephants in a herd. Some have pink and green stripes, some are all pink and some are all blue. One third are pure pink. Is it true that 400 elephants are definitely blue?

Yes No

13. Which word of four letters can be added to the front of the following words to create other English words?

CARD BOX CODE BAG HASTE

14. Following the pattern shown in the number sequence below, what is the missing number?

1 8 27 ? 125 216

36 45 46 64 99

15. What is the following word when it is unscrambled?

H C P R A A T E U

16. The same three-letter word can be placed in front of the following words to make a new word:

LIGHT BREAK TIME

17. The same word can be added to the end of GRASS and the beginning of SCAPE to form two other English words?

18. What is the word coiled inside this circle?

 N   G 
 O   E 
 R   R 
 T   S 

19. Only one other word can be made from all the letters of INSATIABLE. Can you find it?

20. Which vowel comes midway between J and T?

A E I O U

21. Pear is to apple as potato is to?

Banana Radish Strawberry Peach Lettuce

22. Which of the following is least like the others?

Poem Novel Painting Statue Flower

23. Which of these is the odd one out?

Cat Dog Hamster Rabbit Elk

24. Which of the designs best completes the following sequence?

[o] [.] (o)

(.) (o) [.] [o]

25. Continue the following number series with the group of numbers below which best continues the series?

1 10 3 9 5 8 7 7 9 6 ? ?

11 5 10 5 10 4 11 6

26. Which of the figures below the line of drawings best completes the series?

27. How many four sided figures are in this diagram?

10 16 25 28

28. Which number comes next in this series of numbers?

2 3 5 7 11 13 ?

14 15 16 17 18

29. Which letter comes next in this series of letters?

B A C B D C E D F ?

C D E F G

30. Which of the figures below the line of drawings best completes the series?

Most questions in the Mensa Workout Copyright © Dr. Abbie Salny, used with permission.

So how did you do?

0 - 5 Stay in bed!

5 - 10 Do some homework.

18 - 20 You are of average intelligence.

20 - 25 You're a bit clever - ever thought about joining MENSA?

20 - 25 You're a Today listener.
Listen - How should we measure intelligence? (16/03/2002)
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