Taking an IQ test doesn't have to be a painful marathon. Many “victims,” remembering their suffering, dream only that it will never happen again. Fortunately, there is an IQ test that consists of only three questions. This is most likely the shortest test in the world. By the way, you can complete it right now and start showing off to your friends in just a few minutes.

The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) was developed by psychologist Shane Frederick in 2005. In an article published by The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Frederick says that he chose these three questions for CRT because they all “were found to be capable of provoking impulsive, erroneous responses.” In other words, these questions seem to push subjects to quickly jump to conclusions, instead of carefully analyzing seemingly simple erudition questions.

This mental trap explains the fact that surprisingly few people were able to answer all three questions correctly. Beginning in January 2003, the CRT was tested over a 26-month period on 3,428 volunteers in 35 separate studies. During this experiment, only 17 percent of students at the world's top universities, such as Yale and Harvard, scored excellent on CRT questions. Based on the results of 26 months of trial tests, Frederick released the final version of the CRT to the world in 2005. This short test is designed to test a person's ability to ignore intuitive answers and force themselves to think rationally.

You have the opportunity to test yourself. Read the questions first and then check your answers if necessary.

1. Bat and ball problem

The bat and ball together cost $1.10. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

2. Problem about the machine

Five machines produce 5 parts in five minutes. How long will it take 100 machines to produce 100 parts?

3. Water lily problem

Water lilies grow on the lake. Every day the area they occupy doubles. If it takes 48 days for the lilies to cover the entire surface of the lake, how long will it take for them to cover half the lake?

Answers below

1. The ball costs 5 cents. You probably thought 10, didn't you? Don't be upset. A ball that costs 5 cents plus a bat that costs $1.50 adds up to $1.10. And 1 dollar 5 cents is just a dollar more expensive than 5 cents. A study conducted at Princeton University found that many who answered incorrectly were simply less patient than those who thought before answering.
2. It will take 5 minutes to produce 100 parts using 100 machines. Your intuition may deceive you by suggesting the answer is 100. From the condition it is easy to conclude that one machine produces one part in five minutes. Thus, 100 machines will produce 100 parts in the same five minutes.
3. Water lilies will cover the entire lake in 47 days. The answer that probably comes to your mind is 24. Intuition might tell you that the correct answer is half of 48, since we are talking about half the lake. However, since the condition states that the area of ​​lilies doubles every day, it only takes one day for a half-overgrown lake to turn into a completely overgrown lake.