If You Can Solve This Puzzle, You Are Basically Smarter Than 90% of Students

It's time for some string theory.

It’s not just Aussie students about to embark on their exams.

Over in merry old England, 18-year-olds are getting ready to sit their A-levels (which is basically the equivalent of our ATAR exams).

That was enough of a reason for The Guardian to pull out an old puzzle from the first TIMMS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) set by the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement in 1995.

This mind-bender was apparently tricky enough to bewilder nine out of ten students across 16 countries. (The Swedes did best, with 24 per cent of students getting the answer. Over in the United States, only four per cent of students got it right.)

Here it is:

A string is wound symmetrically around a circular rod. The string goes exactly four times around the rod. The circumference of the rod is 4cm and its length is 12cm. Find the length of the string.

Interestingly enough, the puzzle requires no technical maths knowledge beyond what is taught to 11 – 14 year-olds.

And yet, if you can solve it, you are basically smarter than 90 per cent of people who take this test.

If you can’t, well, you can always find the answer here. Better luck next time.

Photo: YouTube (DJKhaledVEVO)