OK, so maybe I’m not that smart, but: As I recall I did pretty well on the national Scholastic Aptitude Test when I took it many years ago in the eight grade. But things – or, perish the thought, I -- must have changed.

I found these two SAT questions from two different SAT question sites on refdesk.com. The first is appallingly easy. I’d be shocked and suspicious to find it on a genuine test.

The second is entirely opaque. Even the hint is incomprehensible.

My logical answer would be values of “0” and “3” because of the serial nature of the numbers offered, but I suspect the way the question is expressed, the test-designers are really shooting for some adding function, but exactly is totally unclear, at least to me.

So, the real issue at hand here is: 1) was the question poorly framed, 2) do my talents remain unmathematical, 3) has my ability to reason grossly deteriorated since junior high, or, 4) have I always been just plain stupid?


Answers will be tallied and results announced Friday.