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Intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a general assessment of your ability to think and reason. An IQ score indicates how you compare in reasoning ability with the majority of people in your age group. For example, a score of 100 means that, compared
to the majority of other people in your age group, you have normal intelligence. Psychologists consider scores in the range
of 95–105 as a normal or average IQ. Because it is difficult to pinpoint with absolute accuracy, your actual IQ may vary
five points either way from your test score. In addition, many factors can affect your score: you may be tired, ill, nervous,
distracted, hungry, or overcaffeinated during testing. Many abilities are not measured by IQ testing, such as musical, artistic,
mechanical, or technical talent; manual dexterity; ability to read emotions; and the ability to communicate with others. IQ
testing only indicates your ability to think logically, reason, and solve problems within the field of topics tested.
Mathematically speaking, an IQ score is a quotient or ratio of two numbers:
IQ MA
100
CA
where MA is the mental age of the person, and CA is the chronological age (both measured in years).
MENSA is an international organization whose mission is to offer information, support, and fraternity to intellectually
gifted people. People of all ages who score in the top 2% on internationally recognized intelligence tests are eligible for
membership. The average minimum IQ score needed ranges from 130 to 135 because IQ tests differ slightly in scoring.
Research the highest IQ measured, then calculate the person’s mental and chronological ages. Because the chronological age is known, give the range of mental ages possible (as an inequality) to be within the five-point tolerance. You may
obtain the information from MENSA, the Guinness Book of World Records, the American Psychological Association
(APA), or the Internet.