Question

If two children have the same Mental Age (MA=12), but the first child is 10 years old and the second child is 15 years old, whose IQ is higher ?

• A. Cannot be calculated
• B. Second child
• C. Both are equal
• D. First child

Answer 1

Answer:

D. First child

The IQ Formula

• The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is calculated using the formula developed by William Stern: IQ = (Mental Age / Chronological Age) × 100.
• Mental Age (MA) represents the age-level at which a person functions intellectually.
• Chronological Age (CA) is the actual biological age of the individual.

Calculation for the First Child

• Mental Age (MA) = 12
• Chronological Age (CA) = 10
• IQ = (12 / 10) × 100 = 120

Calculation for the Second Child

• Mental Age (MA) = 12
• Chronological Age (CA) = 15
• IQ = (12 / 15) × 100 = 80

Key Insights

• The first child has a higher IQ because their intellectual development is advanced relative to their biological age.
• An IQ score above 100 generally indicates that the individual's mental ability is higher than the average for their age group.
• Conversely, an IQ score below 100 indicates that the individual's mental development is lower than the average for their specific chronological age.
• As Chronological Age (the denominator) increases while Mental Age remains constant, the resulting IQ score will mathematically decrease.