The intelligence quotient (IQ) indicates a person’s reasoning ability. In short, it is intended to assess a person’s ability to use relevant data and rationale to answer questions or make assumptions. To begin to assess this, short- and long-term memory are measured in IQ tests. They also assess how easily people can solve puzzles and retain the information they’ve heard. Every student, regardless of intelligence, can learn. However, some students have difficulty in school due to a weakness in one area of intelligence. Special education programs are frequently beneficial to these students. They receive additional assistance in areas where they are struggling. IQ tests can assist teachers in determining which students would gain from such additional assistance. IQ tests can also assist in identifying students who would thrive in fast-paced “gifted education” programs. Many schools select students using exams similar to IQ tests. And the United States government, including the military, employs IQ tests when deciding who to hire. These tests can help predict who will make good leaders or who will excel at specific skills.
