An 11-year-old British boy, Yusuf Shah recently achieved an IQ score higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Shah participated in the Mensa test and scored 162 which is higher than the IQs of Einstein and Hawking which was about 160 according to a report published by the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Shah studies in class six at Wigton Moor Primary School in Leeds. During an interview with Yorkshire Evening Post, the young boy revealed his source of inspiration.
“Everyone at school thinks I am very smart and I have always wanted to know if I was in the top two percent of the people who take the test,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The outlet also interviewed Shah, family and they shared how their son succeeded with the MENSA test.
“He is the first person to take the MENSA test in the family. I was actually a little concerned too – he has always gone into a hall full of kids to take tests. We thought he might be intimidated by the adults [at the center]. But he did brilliantly,” Yusuf’s mother told the media outlet.
The family celebrated the success with a delicious meal.
Yusuf’s father Irfan told the Yorkshire Evening Post, “It is a difficult test to prepare for. We just did what we were already doing – nothing specific for the IQ test.” He also added that it is important for his son to keep working hard. “I still tell him that ‘your dad is still smarter than you’,” said Irfan, “We take it all lightheartedly. Even if you are talented, you have to be the hardest worker.”
How the 11 Years Old Achieved the Higher IQ Score
Before Shah participated in the Mensa test, his family decided that he would study for the IQ score test and also his high school application exams. This is because the two tests involve more or less similar content. The outlet also reported that Shah was instructed to answer 15 questions in three minutes during one of the sections of the test.
However, he misheard the instruction thinking that he had 13 minutes to execute the task. Hence, he took his time to answer the questions even faster. Despite the challenges, Shah performed well in the test. He ranked in the top one percent and received the top IQ score.
His family prepared Portuguese-style chicken at Nando’s to celebrate this milestone.
“It feels special to have a certificate for me and about me,” Shah said. “I also never thought I would be on the news.”
Shah’s father revealed to the outlet that his son discovered a mathematical phenomenon that he couldn’t explain when he was just 7 years old. To ensure that Shah got the best from his discovery, his family contacted a University of Cambridge math professor who offered Shah assistance. The principle has been known in their household as “Yusuf’s Square Rule.”
Shah’s parents revealed that they are guiding him to improve in his work ethic, natural abilities, and social life.
“I still tell him that ‘your dad is still smarter than you,’” Shah’s father told the Post. “We take it all lightheartedly. Even if you are talented, you have to be the hardest worker.”
Shah plans to study mathematics at Cambridge or Oxford in the future. The outlet concluded that Shah is currently developing his creative writing skills in preparation for the secondary school entrance examination.
Conclusion
An 11-year-old British boy, Yusuf Shah recently achieved an IQ score higher than the IQs of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Shah participated in the test and scored 162 which is higher than Einstein and Hawking which was about 160. What do you think about this?
