What is IQ?
A person's IQ is a relatively subjective thing. It is a fair measure of intelligence but it is often based on a person's background. One way an IQ is measured is by testing their ability to reason. This is different from testing knowledge based on what someone has learned. Because what one person knows is influenced greatly by where they live and their environment it is less of an indication of their ability to learn or overall intelligence.
Average intelligence is considered to be a score of 89 to 111 on a standard IQ test. The score is determined based on the person's age as well as number of correct answers. Older individuals are expected to be more knowledgeable than younger ones so the curve goes down as you age.
The drawback to IQ tests is that they can't measure what a person has been exposed to in regards to "how to learn." Therefore if someone has never learned how to complete an algebraic formula that does not exactly mean they can't, it simply means they haven't been exposed to such formulas.
The best IQ tests employ basic reasoning tactics to determine a person's abilities. Better yet they are formatted to be specific to the individual's circumstances. Most are not and are only a general indication of each individual's mental talents. However, better results can be obtained by taking more than one standard IQ test. This allows for more of a variance between situational abilities such as race, location, and environment.
