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Methodology

Scoring & IQ band interpretation

Your raw answers are mapped to the standard IQ scale: a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.

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How the score is computed

Your raw score (number of items correct, 0 to 25) is first converted to a percentile rank using the empirical raw-to-percentile table calibrated for a 25-item screener. The percentile is then converted to an IQ score using the inverse standard normal distribution: IQ = 100 + 15 × z, where z is the standard normal quantile corresponding to your percentile.

This norm-referenced approach is more accurate than a simple linear conversion (raw_score × 6 + 50, etc.) because it accounts for the non-linear relationship between raw score and ability at the tails of the distribution. It is the same approach used by clinical batteries like the WAIS-IV and Stanford-Binet 5.

IQ range Label Percentile Interpretation
< 70 Extremely low Below 2nd percentile More than two standard deviations below the mean.
70–79 Borderline 2nd–8th percentile Below average; may indicate a need for more support on novel reasoning tasks.
80–89 Low average 9th–24th percentile Below the central range, but within the broad average band on most tests.
90–109 Average 25th–74th percentile The middle two-thirds of the population sit in this range.
110–119 High average 75th–90th percentile Above the typical range; common in graduate study and many professional fields.
120–129 Superior 91st–97th percentile Roughly the top decile — common in technical and research roles.
130–200 Very superior 98th percentile and above Two standard deviations above the mean.

How to read your category breakdown

Alongside your composite, you receive a percent-correct figure for each of the five domains. Treat the breakdown as informational rather than normative: it tells you where your reasoning was strongest in this sitting, but a single short test is too narrow to support a confident claim about a stable strength or weakness.

If one domain is unusually low compared to the others, retake the test in a week. The difference may be a one-time effect of fatigue, distraction, or unfamiliarity with the item style. If the gap persists across several sittings, it is more likely real, and the relevant brain-training guides are worth a try.

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The standard error of measurement

No IQ score is exact. Even a full clinical instrument carries a standard error of measurement of about three to five points; a 25-item online screener like this one carries a larger one — closer to ±7 IQ points at the 95% confidence interval. A score of 117 on this test is best read as "in the high-average to superior range," not as a precise statement that you are exactly 117.

What scores cannot tell you

An IQ score is a narrow signal. It does not measure conscientiousness, motivation, social skill, creativity, ethical judgment, or wisdom — all of which independently shape life outcomes. A test result is one input into self-knowledge, not a verdict on your potential.

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