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Which Man Is the Smartest? And Which Is the Dumbest?

Have you ever taken an IQ test? I’ve taken some for fun online, but never an “official” one. One thing that’s always intrigued me is how IQ tests work. The fact is, IQ tests don’t actually measure your intelligence, per se. What they do is measure a person’s intelligence quotient, which is based on a scale that’s relative and measured against age-based average scores. The interesting thing is that studies have been done that indicated that a person’s IQ doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be hugely successful. In fact, environmental factors are more likely to contribute to a person’s success. Well, that, and the luck of the birth lottery.

Modern IQ tests produce the difference from the average score based on standard deviations. Then there is common sense, which an IQ test doesn’t really measure. For instance, in the graphic below, which one of these men is the smartest? And which one is the dumbest? What do you think? Give it some thought. If you get stumped, don’t worry. It’s not an easy dilemma. We’ll share our thoughts on it on the next page.

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