What is my IQ?
Yesterday my friend Balaji sent me a math problem, with a clever way of proving that I figured it out.
He also added a note that ‘the people who forwarded it to me claim that only people with an IQ 120 and over are able to figure this out. Not sure, but it is a little tricky’.
Here is the problem - If:
2+3=10
7+2=63
6+5=66
8+4=96
Then:9+7=???
I tried for about 5 minutes; couldn’t figure out. But couldn’t let go and delete it either. Does it mean I do not have an IQ of over 120? Whatever that means, I can’t accept that and give up.
Just then I remembered the Social Science teacher Jeff Jennings of Scottsdale High (Scottsdale, Tasmania, Australia) with whom I worked for sometime. He would say, ‘it is not necessary for the children to memorise the capitals of all the countries around the world. It is enough if they know where to look it up when they need to know’. This was in the (19)70s.
I solved the puzzle and felt you can’t use the same old Mensa test (designed in 1946) to measure people’s IQ now. Things have changed so much.
Incidentally, the Social Science curriculum for the high school included two major topics that Mr. Jennings felt are relevant for the children of that remote ‘down under down under’ rural town.
1. How to get rescued if you get lost in the wilderness
2. What options you and your boy friend have if you got pregnant while you are both still in high school
Ma... I learnt another lesson on consumer awareness today.
ReplyDeleteI simply forwarded the text of the mail i received without editing. To be frank i actually did not exactly mean the message meant by the mail.
The Lesson: While forwarding forwarded mails, think… if you really mean the content of the message forwarded to you, before forwarding. Be present in the moment and take as much care as if it is your own original mail… because that is what your recipient thinks so. Always remember that your mail recipient takes time to open and read a mail from you because… YOU have sent it and he/she cares for YOU.
About your message in the blog above: Hey... I feel glad to think that I am not alone in thinking... that we need not remember all the things that are easily available or retrieveable from elsewhere. We need to use our brainpower to add value to the things already known and established... And to realise that someone had said this way back in 70s when information retrieval was even more difficult is superb.
In a normal day to day life, someone's intelligence should not be measured just on IQ Range but should include their Adaptive functioning. A person could have high IQ but may not have the adaptive ability to function in the society eg. person with Savant syndrome. Person should be evaluated not just for his/her IQ but for other aspects as well, which helps them survive in this world. Some countries have recognized that and tests students for both while other countries unfortunately still put more emphasis on IQ.
ReplyDeleteHey! I was able to figure out the puzzle!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I think Mr Jennings' two lessons are still the most important things for any young person to know about.