Tips to do well on the IQ test

Updated October 26, 2026 · QI Agora team

An IQ test measures reasoning, not memorized knowledge. Still, a few simple habits keep you from scoring below your real potential.

Before the test

• Sleep well. Poor sleep affects attention and working memory, two things the test uses all the time.
• Pick a quiet moment. Set aside 30 minutes without interruptions. Silence your phone (or use do-not-disturb if you're taking the test on it).
• Make sure your connection is good. Each question's time is tracked by the server.
• Keep water nearby and avoid taking the test hungry or right after a heavy meal.

During the test

• Read the whole question. Many wrong answers come from reading, not reasoning.
• In sequences, look at the differences. Work out how much changes from one number to the next. If the differences form a pattern too, you've found the rule.
• In matrices, look at rows and columns separately. Usually one rule changes from left to right and another from top to bottom.
• In memory questions, group things. 48 27 31 is easier to hold than 4-8-2-7-3-1. For colors, make up a sentence with the initials.
• In spatial questions, pick one detail of the piece (a tip, a "step") and follow where it ends up in each option.
• Don't get stuck on one question. If time is running out and you have no idea, pick the most likely option and move on.
• Don't leave the screen. The test records when someone leaves and comes back several times.

What doesn't help

Asking another person or an AI for help might change the number, but then the result no longer says anything about you. QI Agora uses signals like response time and leaving the screen to flag suspicious tests. The goal is for your result to truly be yours.