Think you’re cleverer than a ten-year-old? The classic game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? put adults in the hot seat, asking questions that might seem easy – until you’re the one answering.
From maths to history to geography, these trivia questions cover ground most of us haven’t thought about in years.
Whether you’re curious, confident, or just a bit nostalgic, take this quiz and find out if you’re really as smart as you think.
Fair warning: these 101 Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader questions might have you stumped (we won’t tell if you need to phone a friend).
1. History and Geography Questions
Ready to test your memory on capitals, continents, and historical events? See if you can ace these history and geography questions that span from ancient civilisations to modern countries.
Q1: How many US states are there?
Q2: What is the capital of the United States?
Q3: Who was the first president of the United States?
Q4: Which two countries border the United States?
Q5: What’s the capital of France?
Q6: What is the longest river in the world?
Q7: In which country would you find the pyramids of Giza?
Q8: What is the capital of Japan?
Q9: Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?
Q10: Who was the 16th president of the United States?
(Hint: if you’ve made it through these, you’re on track to survive this quiz!)
2. Maths That’ll Make You Think Twice
Time to round things out with a mix of knowledge from different subjects. From history to science, let’s see what’s stuck with you since primary school.
Q11: What is 25% of 100?
Q12: How many sides does a triangle have?
Q13: What is the sum of 2 and 2?
Q14: What is 10 divided by 2?
Q15: What is the value of Pi (π) to two decimal places?
Q16: How many degrees are in a right angle?
Q17: What is the square root of 64?
Q18: If a rectangle’s length is 5 and its width is 3, what’s its perimeter?
Q19: What is 7 x 8?
3. Science for the Almost Scientist
Science class was full of amazing facts, but can you remember them all? Try these Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader science questions and see if you’ve still got it.
Q20: What is the largest mammal in the world?
(If you got all these right, congratulations! You’re well on your way to acing this quiz.)
Q21: What gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere?
Q22: True or False: A platypus is a mammal.
Q23: What’s the process called when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly?
Q24: What part of the plant is responsible for making seeds?
Q25: What’s the name of the tallest mountain in the world?
Q26: What element is represented by the symbol “O” on the periodic table?
Q27: Who invented the light bulb?
Q28: What’s the scientific term for animals that eat only plants?
Q29: What’s the name of our galaxy?
Q30: What organ in the human body is primarily responsible for pumping blood?
(How’s your score looking? Let’s hope you’re holding up – more tricky questions are coming up.)
4. Science for the Almost Scientist
Science class was full of amazing facts, but can you remember them all? Try these Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader science questions and see if you’ve still got it.
Q31: What does DNA stand for?
Q32: What is the most common gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
Q33: What planet is known as the “Red Planet”?
Q34: How many bones are there in an adult human body?
Q35: What process do plants use to make food?
Q36: True or False: Sound travels faster in air than in water.
Q37: What is the boiling point of water in degrees Celsius?
Q38: What type of animal can live both in water and on land?
Q39: What gas do humans exhale?
5. English and Grammar Challenges
Not everyone’s favourite subject, but grammar is where the quiz truly gets interesting. Ready to get technical? Take a shot at these language questions.
Q40: What is the past tense of “swim”?
(If you’ve made it this far, you’re doing better than most!)
Q41: What part of speech is the word “very” in “She is very smart”?
Q42: True or False: The plural of “roof” is “rooves.”
Q43: What is a noun?
Q44: What is a palindrome?
Q45: Spell the name of the coin worth five cents in the US.
Q46: True or False: A sentence can contain both a past tense and a future tense verb.
Q47: Which word is the subject in “The dog barked loudly”?
Q48: What’s the plural of “deer”?
Q49: What do we call the main character in a story?
6. General Knowledge That Might Surprise You
Time to round things out with a mix of knowledge from different subjects. From history to science, let’s see what’s stuck with you since primary school.
Q50: Who was the first person to step on the moon?
Q51: What’s the largest ocean on Earth?
Q52: What planet is known for its rings?
Q53: How many colours are in a rainbow?
Q54: What country has the longest border with the United States?
Q55: Who painted the Mona Lisa?
Q56: How many hours are there in a day?
Q57: What’s the chemical symbol for water?
Q58: What’s the smallest bone in the human body?
Q59: Who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird?
7. Social Studies and Famous Figures
Think you know a bit about historical figures and world events? These questions might test your memory of social studies!
Q60: Who was the leader of the civil rights movement in the United States?
Q61: What document was signed in 1776 to declare independence from Britain?
Q62: Which city is known as the “Big Apple”?
Q63: Who invented the telephone?
Q64: What was the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America?
Q65: Who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
Q66: Who is known as the “Father of Modern Physics”?
Q67: The Statue of Liberty was a gift from which country?
Q68: Who was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?
Q69: What is the largest desert in the world?
8. Science Continued – From Biology to Physics
This next set of science questions goes a bit further, covering biology, chemistry, and physics basics.
Q70: What is the process of water turning into vapor called?
Q71: What is the tallest mammal on Earth?
Q72:On the periodic table, which element is represented by the letter N?
Q73: What planet is known as the “Red Planet”?
Q74: What is the clinical name for the thigh bone?
Q75: What is the smallest fish in the world?
Q76: True or False: Sound travels faster in air than in water.
Q77: What does a paleontologist study?
Q78: What type of animal can live both in water and on land?
Q79: What is the hardest mineral?
Q80: What are the three states of matter?
9. Literature and Language Arts – A Deep Dive
Test your literary knowledge and English skills. Are you as good with words as you think?
Q81: How many syllables are there in the word Mississippi?
Q82: Who wrote Pride and Prejudice?
Q83: What is a synonym for “happy”?
Q84: How many continents are there?
Q85: What is the capital of Italy?
Q86: What’s the hottest planet in our solar system?
Q87: What country is home to the kangaroo?
Q88: How many players are there in a football (soccer) team?
Q89: Who is known as the “Queen of Soul”?
10. Final Fun Facts and General Knowledge
Last but not least, here’s a mix of general knowledge questions to wrap things up!
Q90: What’s the largest island in the world?
Q91: How many letters are there in the English alphabet?
Q92: Who painted Starry Night?
Q93: Which country gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States?
Q94: What is the fastest land animal?
Q95: What is the capital of Spain?
Q96: What is the longest river in South America?
Q97: How many planets are in the Solar System?
Q98: What element does “O” represent on the periodic table?
Q99: What is the square root of 144?
Q100: Which country has the largest population?
Q101: Who discovered gravity?
Wrapping Up: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?
So, how did you fare? Are you officially smarter than a fifth grader?
Maybe you aced the lot, or perhaps a few left you scratching your head.
Either way, you’ve journeyed through some classic trivia that proves just how tricky fifth-grade questions can be.
Pass this along and see if your friends are up for the challenge – who knows, they might be the next trivia champion in your group!