A 12-year-old boy who has joined Mensa after beating Albert Einstein's IQ score found the test "a bit of a breeze", his dad says.
Devon schoolboy Rory Bidwell achieved the maximum score of 162 on the Cattell III-B test - despite not having prepared for it.
His dad James Bidwell told Sky News the family's first reaction to the score was "that's a big number - what does that actually mean?".
A bit of Googling revealed Einstein and Stephen Hawking are both said to have had IQs of around 160. That was when it started to sink in that it was "really quite impressive", Mr Bidwell said.
"We've always known he's an incredibly bright lad. This just puts it in context."
Rory found the test "pretty easy", his dad said, and had no problem finishing it in the time limit.
He sat the two-hour test in Exeter a fortnight after his twelfth birthday and was invited to join Mensa days later.
Mensa is a society for people who have IQs in the top 2% of the public, as judged in standardised tests.
Besides being incredibly intelligent, Rory is very sporty and just "a very normal 12-year-old", Mr Bidwell said.
"He's certainly not sat there doing quantum physics at tea time.
"He's on his PlayStation playing Fortnite and being shouted at to get off it, he's down the park kicking a ball about with his mates. He just has this incredible gift as well."
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Mr Bidwell said Rory had always done things "first, best and quickest", from walking early to doing Year 7 algebra when he was in Year 2.
As a toddler, he got bored of how easy his puzzles were so did them upside down without the pictures, Mr Bidwell said.
When it comes to how Rory will use his talents in future, his dad says he "hasn't a clue what he wants to do".
"If he had his choice he'd still be a footballer," he said.
Mr Bidwell added they encourage him to try his best with everything, so when he does decide what he wants to focus on he's set up to pursue it to the highest level.
Could you join Mensa?
Test your brain with some sample questions from Mensa - answers at the bottom.
1.
2. Replace the blanks in the following sentence with three four-letter words:
The same four letters must be used for all three words. What are the words?
THE YOUNG MAN _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ OF MONEY, BECAUSE HE COULD NOT WALK
AWAY FROM THE _ _ _ _ MACHINES.
3. What number should replace the question mark in this sequence?
1 - 2 - 3 - 7 - ? -155 - 3411
And now for the answers:
1. 50. Star = 2, triangle = 10, square = 19.
2. Lost, lots and slot
3. 22. Multiply the first two numbers and add one to give the third number, multiply the second and third numbers and add one to give the fourth number and so on.
More questions are available on the Mensa Website.
FAQs
A 12-year-old boy who has joined Mensa after beating Albert Einstein's IQ score found the test "a bit of a breeze", his dad says. Devon schoolboy Rory Bidwell achieved the maximum score of 162 on the Cattell III-B test - despite not having prepared for it.
Who is the boy with higher IQ than Albert Einstein? ›
Rory Bidwell, from Great Torrington, Devon, joined the ranks of Mensa after acing the Cattell III B test with 162, the top score for children. This is above what is believed to be a score of 160 for Albert Einstein. Rory is also a keen sportsman and said he would prefer a career in football because it is "what I love".
What was Einstein's IQ in Mensa? ›
His IQ has been estimated at around 160-190, but there is no definitive answer as it was never tested.
What is Einstein's IQ level? ›
Einstein's IQ is commonly estimated at about 160, but any formal test results have not been publicly confirmed” (2011, p.
What is the lowest Mensa IQ score? ›
The minimum accepted score on the Stanford–Binet is 132, while for the Cattell it is 148, and 130 in the Wechsler tests (WAIS, WISC). Most IQ tests are designed to yield a mean score of 100 with a standard deviation of 15; the 98th-percentile score under these conditions is 130.8, assuming a normal distribution.
What is the IQ of Elon Musk? ›
Elon Musk's IQ puts him in the Highly Gifted category. IQ tests provide insight into an individual's cognitive ability. As mentioned earlier, Elon Musk's IQ score is believed to be between 155 and 160. Above-average IQ scores within this range are only reserved for the "Highly Gifted" IQ classification.
Who has 400 IQ? ›
It's hard to believe such people exist. Nata-bird wrote: Adragon De Mello (IQ Score: 400)His record was broken in 1994 by another student, but today, De Mello is known to have one of the highest IQ scores in all of human history – an IQ score of 400!
What is Bill Gates' IQ? ›
Bill Gates's IQ is 157 ± 6, according to our mathematical analysis based on SAT score averages. With a correlation coefficient of 0.8 between SAT scores and IQ, this approach provides a trustworthy approximation.
What is a normal IQ? ›
Most people have an average IQ between 85 and 115. Overall, about 98% of people have a score below 130. Only 2% of the population score above that and are considered above average. But your IQ score isn't simply about bragging rights.
What was Stephen Hawking's IQ? ›
Professor Hawking, the theoretical physicist known for his work on black holes, is said to have had an IQ of 160.
Nikola Tesla
Tesla had a brilliant mind and had an IQ range from 160 to 310. He made many important contributions to the field of electricity, including the development of alternating current (AC) electricity, which is the standard form of electricity used today.
What was Leonardo da Vinci's IQ? ›
Da Vinci, famed painter and theorist, is estimated to have had IQ scores ranging from 180 to 220, according to parade.com.
What were Einstein's last words? ›
His last words were : want to go when I want to go. It is tasteless to prolong life artificially. I have done my share; it is time to go.
What is the average IQ in America? ›
According to recent data (around 2022), the average IQ in the United States falls around 98. It's important to remember that IQ tests are designed to have an average score of 100, so a slight deviation is expected.
What is the minimum IQ for the military? ›
The reason the U.S. Army requires a minimum IQ of 83 is perfectly captured in the book "McNamara's Folly: The Use of Low-IQ Troops in the Vietnam War." The cohort routinely struggled to point and aim a rifle, throw a grenade and tie their boots to basic standards.
Who has an IQ bigger than Einstein? ›
There is not a distinct answer to who has the highest IQ, but it is not Albert Einstein. Those with higher IQs in comparison with Einstein include William James Sidis, Leonardo Da Vinci and Marilyn vos Savant. Sidis was a child prodigy whose IQ was estimated to be anywhere between 200 to 300, says parade.com.
Who is the boy with 300 IQ? ›
William James Sidis (/ˈsaɪdɪs/; April 1, 1898 – July 17, 1944) was an American child prodigy with exceptional mathematical and linguistic skills, for which he was active as a mathematician, linguist, historian, and author (whose works were published covertly due to never using his real name).
Who has 325 IQ? ›
Michael Kearney - (IQ - 200–325)
He is known for setting world records as the youngest man to graduate and teach at the university, as a teenager and with an IQ between 200 and 325. He completed his bachelor's degree at the University of South Alabama, USA, at age 10.
What is the top 1% IQ? ›
An average person scores 100 on an IQ test using the Stanford-Binet IQ scale. A score of 137 to 160 is considered the top 1 percent to .
