How to approach problem solving
AS WE all encounter challenges on a daily basis, everybody can benefit from having improved problem-solving skills.
Unfortunately there is no one way in which all problems can be solved, so you need to get mentally fit to address any situation that you might encounter.
The Oxford dictionary defines a problem as ‘something hard to understand or accomplish or deal with’. If you are hungry, you’ll probably want to eat something, but if you’re running a company, the desired outcome might be to maximise profits.
Problemsolving comes in stages: identify that there is a problem, observe and study the problem to get a clear picture of its component parts, then look for possible solutions before deciding which one to choose and implementing it.
This systematic approach is as relevant to tackling challenges in your own life as it is to the questions presented within this Mensa series, but hopefully the following will be more fun!
Just A Thought... I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing. Socrates
MENSA is an organisation that brings together people who are highly intelligent.
The name comes from the Latin word for table. Mensa is a round-table organisation, where race, colour, creed, national origin, age, politics, educational or social background are irrelevant — the only qualification for membership is having an exceptionally high IQ.
The term ‘IQ score’ is widely used but poorly defined.
There are a large number of IQ tests with different scales therefore, to avoid confusion, Mensa has set a percentile as a cut-off — membership is open to any person who has attained a score within the upper 2% of the general population on an approved intelligence test that has been properly administered and supervised.
There are no other qualification or disqualification criteria.
The international organisation, which was founded in Oxford in 1946, has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research into the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members.
Irish Mensa is an all-island organisation with just under 1,000 members. Members receive a monthly magazine and can attend around 120 events every year, including monthly meetings. For more information see mensa.ie.
From inventor Clive Sinclair to Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis, members come from all walks of life, and include such people as a former chairman of the Ford motor company and a Playboy Playmate.
The questions featured in these articles reflect samples of the type of test that potential members would encounter, with tests generally allowing you half an hour to answer 30 questions.
Try it for yourself, see page 38 for the answers, and then compare your results with those of your friends!