Intelligence Quotient
Intelligence Quotient (known commonly by its abbreviation IQ ), is a number that is used to express the relative intelligence of an individual. Intelligence is often measured in terms of IQ. IQ is mathematically computed by considering the ratio of mental age to chronological age of a person and then multiplying it by 100. Thus, when a 10-year-old child achieves a mental age of 12 (that is, as per his or her performance on the test at the level of an average 12-year-old), the child is said to posses an IQ of 12/10 × 100, or 120. Similarly, the 10-year-old had a mental age of 8, the child’s IQ would be 8/10 × 100, or 80. Based on the mentioned calculation, a score of 100 where the mental age is equal to the chronological age, the IQ would be average. Computation of mental ages is important for IQ.