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Can You Answer These "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" Questions?

Put your math, history, and reading skills to the test with these tricky game show questions.

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader game board

In elementary school, you learn a ton about U.S. geography, past presidents, fractions, and even musical instruments. But how much of that information do you actually retain into your adult years? Well, there's a way to find out: testing your knowledge with some tricky questions from the game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? You might be surprised to discover much you still remember—and how much you don't. And for a word you're almost certainly getting wrong every time you use it, check out This Is the Most Commonly Misspelled Word in the Country.


If Pablo divides 111,111 by 11 what number does he get?

Professor doing math equations on the boardShutterstock

Category: 3rd Grade Math

Answer: 10,101

Woman Confused About Math {Tricky Math Questions}Shutterstock

Don't feel bad if you answered this math question incorrectly: On the show, computer science major Aswad Ali didn't get it right either!

And for location names most of us aren't saying correctly, check out The Most Mispronounced Places in America.

The flag of the European Union features a circle of how many stars?

Various world flagsShutterstock

Category: 5th Grade World History

Answer: 12 stars

European Union flag with 12 starsShutterstock

This was the final question for contestant Brett Connell when he appeared on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Instead of guessing, he decided to drop out with the money he'd already earned.

For what you're doing wrong every time you send something to your coworkers, This Is the Worst Way to End an Email, Research Shows.

How many teaspoons are in five tablespoons?

A teaspoon with spicesShutterstock

Category: 3rd Grade Measurements

Answer: 15

Tablespoon and teaspoon measuring cupsShutterstock

There are 3 teaspoons per tablespoon!

To find out which behaviors are bothering the people around you, check out 50 Things You Do Every Day That Annoy Other People.

Fill in the blank: 1/10 is to ten percent as 1/4 is to what percent?

Man doing math and counting on his fingersShutterstock

Category: 2nd Grade Math

Answer: 25 percent

Older teenager solving fractions and doing math on a boardShutterstock

Thankfully contestant Bruce Eckelman got this question right and secured $1,000.

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How many electrons does an atom of carbon have?

A piece of paper with a chemistry equation on itShutterstock

Category: 5th Grade Chemistry

Answer: 6

An atom of carbonShutterstock

Though Eckelman knew the answer to this question, he chose to flip a coin to decide whether to answer it before he saw what it was. He could have walked away with $200,000!

What would a draftsman use to copy her artwork?

Man or woman drafting engineering plansShutterstock

A. Marble

B. Printing

C. Oil and canvas

D. Ceramics

Category: 2nd Grade Art & Music

Answer: Printing

Person making technical drawings for an architectShutterstock

This elementary school question was included in the video game version of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Which of the following is an instrument in the woodwind family?

A bunch of different musical instrumentsShutterstock

A. Violin

B. Saxophone

C. Trumpet

Category: 1st Grade Music

Answer: Saxophone

SaxophoneShutterstock/BlurryMe

If this question is any indication, first graders know a lot about musical instruments!

The classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Real Princess" is better known as "The Princess and the" what?

Author H. C. AndersenShutterstock

Category: 1st Grade Reading

Answer: "The Princess and the Pea"

Princess and the PeaParragon Books

On episode 3 of season 4 of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, master's student Alex incorrectly guessed that it was "The Princess and the Bride."

Tres is measuring a table with a ruler. Which of these won't he be able to measure?

Measuring wood with rulerShutterstock/Stasique

A. The table's length

B. The table's width

C. The table's weight

Category: 1st Grade Measurements

Answer: The table's weight

Brown wood dining room tableShutterstock

At least Alex got this question—worth $5,000—right!

What typically green chemical found in plants uses photosynthesis to turn sunlight into energy?

picking plants hobbiesShutterstock

Category: 5th Grade Life Sciences

Answer: Chlorophyll

Farmer planting a seed in the soilShutterstock

Fun fact: Chlorophyll can also be found in algae and cyanobacteria!

U.S. President John Adams was a member of what political party at the time of his election?

President John AdamsShutterstock

Category: Social Studies

Answer: Federalist

the white house on a crystal clear day, american history questionsShutterstock

Contestant Ken Jennings decided not to go for this million-dollar question—even though he ended up having the correct answer!

In U.S. currency, a quarter equals 25 pennies. In time measurement, how many minutes are in a quarter of an hour?

man looking at watchShutterstock

Category: 2nd Grade Measurements

Answer: 15 minutes

clock, cultural mistakesShutterstock

Answering this question correctly earned contestant Gregory Baldi $1,000.

What U.S. state is home to Acadia National Park?

Acadia National Park in MaineShutterstock

Category: U.S. Geography

Answer: Maine

maine state welcome sign, iconic state photosShutterstock

This million-dollar question was answered correctly by Nobel laureate George Smoot III. In the show's history, only two people have ever won the $1 million!

One year on what planet lasts roughly 88 days on Earth?

Calendar pageShutterstock

Category: 5th Grade Astronomy

Answer: Mercury

Mercury PlanetShutterstock / Vadim Sadovski

In the version of the show hosted by John Cena, third-grade teacher Lindsey got this one wrong, guessing Mars instead.

A quaver lasts half as long as what other note?

Sheet musicShutterstock/Wongsiri Subhayon

Category: 10 Year Old Music

Answer: Crotchet

Little girl playing pianoShutterstock/Purino

Actor Martine McCutcheon (who you probably know from Love Actually) missed this question in the U.K. version of the show, Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year Old? It's alright if you did as well—Americans know this type of note as a quarter note.