During World War I, many US military recruits had to take a group-administered test as a systematic way to evaluate their mental and intellectual capabilities. This would be used to send them to the correct job classification and give them accurate roles. The test, introduced in 1917, is known as the Army Alpha.
100 to 200 men were grouped together to take the test at once, receiving gradings from very superior to very inferior. The test questioned the recruit's ability in recognizing patterns, solving mathematical equations, vocabulary, and even common sense. The questions included working out the measurements of a bin based on its volume, figuring out why airplanes failed for many years, knowing what the subsequent numbers are based on a pattern, and knowing what words like "maroon" mean.
See if you would have passed this test if you were part of the US Army in 1920. Take this quiz and see how well you can do!
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Can You Pass This US Army IQ Test From 1920? Quiz Questions
A company advanced 6 miles and retreated 2 miles. How far was it from its first position?
3 miles
2 miles
10 miles
12 miles
4 miles
8 miles
Which answer makes the most sense to complete the following sentence: Theatres are useful institutions because...
they employ actors.
they give the rich a chance to spend their money.
they afford a method of relaxation.
What numbers should come next: 27 27 23 23 19 19 __ __
17 17
29 29
15 15
13 13
19 17
14 14
Pick the word that relates to the third word like the first two do to each other: giant - large | dwarf - ___
small
ugly
beard
jungle
Pick the word that completes the following sentence correctly: The armadillo is a kind of...
dagger
musical instrument
animal
ornamental shrub
A dealer bought some mules for $1,200. He sold them for $1,500, making $50 on each mule. How many mules were there?
10
2
5
15
9
6
Which answer makes the most sense to complete the following sentence: A train is harder to stop than an automobile because...
the brakes are not so good.
it is heavier.
it is longer.
What numbers should come next: 18 14 17 13 16 12 __ __
13 13
15 15
11 15
15 13
14 16
15 11
Pick the word that relates to the third word like the first two do to each other: egg - bird | seed - ___
germinate
crack
grow
plant
Pick the word that completes the following sentence correctly: An aspen is a...
tree
drink
machine
fabric
A certain division contains 6,000 artillery, 15,000 infantry, and 1,000 cavalry. If each branch is expanded proportionately until there are in all 24,200 men, how many will be added to the artillery?
1500
1200
200
100
600
3000
Which answer makes the most sense to complete the following sentence: Why are electrical engineers highly paid? Because ...
they work long hours.
they have a college education.
their ability is much in demand.
What numbers should come next: 1 4 9 16 25 36 __ __
47 58
40 65
48 62
49 64
37 38
38 52
Pick the word that relates to the third word like the first two do to each other: hour - day | day - ___
week
hour
noon
night
Pick the word that completes the following sentence correctly: An irregular four-sided figure is called a...
pentagon
scholium
trapezium
triangle
4 Comments
I got 9 out of 15!
Good job, you managed to pass this quiz with flying colors! You are now promoted to the rank of General.
I got private.
15/15 I am a general!!!!
Got general