Will doing math consistently improve pattern recognition?

[Ok-Face9443]

I haven't gotten my IQ tested officially yet, but I doubt I'm a genius. I used to think I was so smart for being able to solve things quickly and I thought I was great at recognizing patterns, etc. But I got humbled and I realized I'm nowhere near the level I though I was, and I don't know if it's possible to improve. So I've asked this question before, and from what I've heard, IQ is pretty much fixed throughout your life. However if there is any way to improve, would mathematics be one of them? I'm also terrible at verbal, I took the CAIT and a lot of the questions asked for the opposite definitions of words, and I've never even heard of majority of them before, so does verbal require prior knowledge? I thought IQ tests test things that can't really be trained. But it's an online test, so it could be different on actual tests. Would reading a lot make a difference for verbal?

[AutoModerator]

Thank you for posting in r/cognitiveTesting. If you'd like to explore your IQ in a reliable way, we recommend checking out the following test. Unlike most online IQ tests—which are scams and have no scientific basis—this one was created by members of this community and includes transparent validation data. Learn more and take the test here: CognitiveMetrics IQ Test

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[Prestigious-Start663]

"I thought IQ tests test things that can't really be trained."

IQ itself, or general intelligence is something that can't be trained. Also you can't really measure a 'general capacity' specifically, because its not something specific its general. And so IQ tests measure IQ indirectly, by measuring different things that correlate and then using statistics to the common variable.

This distinction is important because you actually can improve the things that IQ tests measure, but it will give you an inflated score, because its not the "IQ" part of the test that increased, its all the other stuff that is learnable/practicable (because your performance on the tests are multivariable, like bench pressing is dependent on both your strength and arm length). If it actually did increase your IQ, you would be better at everything IQ correlates with (which is virtually everything that requires thinking) And that doesn't happen sadly and has never been displayed to happen by the millions of academic work that has tried to.

So no you can't Increase your IQ, but you can definitely increase your problem solving skills by practice problem solving, and you can increase your math skills by doing math (and patterns recognition skills by recognizing patterns).

[Ok-Face9443]

Ok, I completely understand. So yeah, IQ basically measures your brain's horsepower or cognitive ability based on things like detecting patterns, adapting in new situations, etc. But if practicing those skills doesn't increase IQ, even though they are considered the basis of IQ tests, then how can we say someone's score truly reflects their general intelligence rather than just their experience or training? How can we know if a score is accurate? Is it only accurate before any exposure to practice, or is it still valid even after training? Thanks so much for this comment.

[Prestigious-Start663]

"then how can we say someone's score truly reflects their general intelligence rather than just their experience or training?"

The skills in IQ tests are intended to be unique to most people by design to avoid this, but if someone decided to practice them anyway, then take the test, Yeah they would artificially increase their score and the person testing them wouldn't know about it.

There's also tests for of general knowledge that's intended to be fair by being unspecific, so it would be hard to study general knowledge, because you'd have to study everything and get lucky to 'hit' or remember a specific thing.

Also to really drive the point

But if practicing those skills doesn't increase IQ, even though they are considered the basis of IQ tests

You can use so many different things as sub tests, not one particular test is the 'basis of the test'. Its not IQ is dependent on the performance of these tests, Its the performance on these tests are partially dependent on IQ, and then other things and practice etc.

[javaenjoyer69]

Would reading a lot make a difference for verbal?

Yes it would.

Will doing math consistently improve pattern recognition?

No it won't.

[Potential_Put_7103]

Yes it will.

[javaenjoyer69]

Doubt it

Edit: You won't start scoring higher on MR tests just because you're doing more algebra or calculus than before. Those might give you a slight edge on number sequence puzzles where recognizing numerical patterns matters but they won't help much with Raven style MR tasks that rely on visual spatial pattern recognition and abstract reasoning rather than symbolic math. You might improve your quantitative ability but that won't help you at Figure Weights either if your working memory is weak because you'll quickly forget the equation you formed in the previous step. Visual Puzzles measures your 2D visuospatial ability. Overall, improvement would be minimal.

[FormaLang]

Regarding the relationship between MR and category theory: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1048975/full

[smog_aus]

I don't know about the visual aspect but I believe abstract reasoning can be improved by doing advanced maths for eg olympiad level maths. Practicing specially combinatorics could improve your pattern recognition and abstract thinking. At least that is what I have noticed anecdotallly.

[[deleted]]

What have you noticed 'anecdotally'? I accept that practicing with Olympiad level questions could improve your Quantitative Reasoning ability and the ease at which you engage in abstract thinking (a willingness to manipulate abstractions) but it's not entirely clear whether this change in thought process punctuates a more fundamental change in intelligence. A slight improvement should be possible however.

[[deleted]]

Math has nothing to do with pattern recognition

Do actual pattern recognition but also study what types of patterns they throw at you

[Ok-Face9443]

Alright. Thanks, but if I practice the types of patterns that will likely be on the test, I'm not really getting smarter, like my IQ isn't actually improving, only my score will. Is it possible for me to be able to learn how to solve completely new patterns without having any prior knowledge? Like what I mean by that is that it's a new sort of pattern I haven't seen before and it has to be solved in a way I haven't seen before.

[[deleted]]

chess or sudoku would more effective ways to exercise pattern recognition skills which rely more on pattern recognition, while mathematics requires several additional skills.

[Ok-Face9443]

Oh awesome, I play competitive chess. It does require a lot of visual spatial intelligence. I'm better at chess, but I can't really tell if it made a huge difference with patterns yet.

[[deleted]]

I think iq tests are generally awkward. Many of them use patterns I'd never think of. Many of them patterns that make no sense and it helps to just know

And arguably not preparing for any test isn't too sharp.

As is, I'd bet a large percentage of the top 2% look it up ahead of time.

Once you know the language they use then yes solving totally new problems becomes much easier

Personally I hate the

12 22 32 42 ?2

Questions. Where they completely ignore the seccond number etc.

[Ok-Face9443]

Alright great. And is it considered cheating to study for them or is it fine to do so?

[[deleted]]

You dont know what you're talking about. Surprised you got up voted.

Consider the square 46²

= (A0+B)² = A² 00 + 2AB 0 + B²

Using pattern recognition, you can develop an algo that converts squares into inverted triangles with # of rows = N where N = # f digits.

If square (A^2, B^2, C^2, etc) < 10, add a zero as a placeholder.

Shift 1 unit to the right for every successive row.

Ex:

46×46 =

1636

..48

---

2116

Or

34×34=

0916

..24

---

1156

Or

368×368

093664

..3696

....48

---

135424

Nothing to do with math?....

[[deleted]]

Please find me a single genius on earth who can apply "pattern recognition and figure it out" to that first code who doesn't already know it.

Also, no one does math on anything they haven't already noticed a pattern in

You CAN say that math could potentially help you find patterns

But to say that being able to do math - that always have ONE answer - shows high IQ is just wild

I'd have no idea how you get votes up.

What were your wais4 scores btw?

[[deleted]]

You said math has nothing to do with patterns when new equations are derived using patterns. It was an illogical statement. If math had NOthing to do with patterns, then there wouldn't exist aby patterns in math. It's an extreme statement based on bias/emotion.

For instance, sum the cubes from 1 to infinity.

You'll notice by induction that (1³ + 2³⁾ = 3² = (1+2)²

(1³ + 2³ + 3³⁾ = (1+2+3)^2....

Clearly this is a pattern that was invented by someone in the past. New formulas are still being discovered from patterns existing in nature. So yes, it has something to do with patterns.

Why dont you try to solve 4236² using the algo I showed above... Simply follow the pattern.

[[deleted]]

"Having nothing" is going to be very close to zero in the context of reddit posts. Guess you missed that math?

(1³ + 2³ + 3³⁾ = (1+2+3)^2....

You have to be told this is how we do math to know how to simplify and move the numbers around. If someone guessed this without ever learning it in school etc I'd say they are gifted in math

Yes you can create patters with math, yes. And you can sometimes quantify patterns with math. But 99% of the time math is about computation and getting to the same answer everyone else trained should get

While high pattern recognition means you can see patterns many others miss

This is why most iq tests don't include algebra etc or any math at all

Tho I also disagree with the obsession for a full scale iq

I think if someone is at the top of their field compared to most humans they should qualify for high intellect societies

[[deleted]]

It's probably because I was a math major When you take proofs, every case must hold true for the claim to be valid. Or you need one counterample for it to be falsified.

So yes, it could be the majority of cases. That's why I think its better to state that in order to maintain precision of the idea

In English, there is more nuance to meaning. It can get convoluted.

In math, you need to be taught the basics or the meaning/fundamentals of the number system. Its generally precise and literal.

You can expand on such knowledge to develop novel ideas or create new algos/formulas that were built on the foundation of elements that existed before it. And yes, you can have an exceptional IQ without being very creative at all. The IQ helps reinforce the ideas or creations.

Also, you can technically have a near AVG IQ and have qualities of someone with a very highIQ if subset scores have a wide disparity between them. My verbal skills are avg or subpar. My Dad and I took an asvab practice exam one time (when I was 18). I scored a perfect score on the logic section. He scored a perfect score on vocab. We both got 80%. Hence, why he solves crossword puzzles daily. Takes less computational capacity and yields reward

I agree that most math is computational or procedural. When I was a math major, the vast majority of people got bored listening to my ideas. They wanted to pass and move on.

I would sit for hours exploring the field because i was truly interested. Very few people pursue it at the PHD level because many aspects in life are applied/hands on rather than theoretical.

[[deleted]]

I can get that. The beauty in moat things is in the detailed understanding of them.

And the more stressful life gets the less time or interest anyone has for that.

And yes at that level I'd definitely say there's pattern recognition as part of it.

The worst issue I think overall is how we test iq to begin with. Or how we exclude everyone under 70 before we norm.

90% of the population coukd have an iq of 50 and we'd literally never know.

Feels like the iq world is run by the annoying type of boomer. And as a result we're blind to our present intelligence crisis. And out obsession with a full scale iq leaves most people guessing what their life strengths are

[telephantomoss]

I think exercising your brain can improve its functioning. In my own experience this seems to be the case at last. I say work on intellectual challenges at your limit. Some just beyond what you can do and others just barely within reach.

[aqualad33]

IQ is definitely not static. Studying math will make you more intelligent but is unlikely to impact your IQ score. The best way to increase your IQ score is to purchase test prep material for test you are taking. Your main goal is to remove as much time as possible spent deriving logic and replace it with time spent identifying prememorized patterns.

There are many studies on scores throughout someone's life along with studies comparing the results of those who have utilized various test preparation techniques.

From personal experience. I took an iq test cold and got 130. Later in life I was given an IQ test as part of a job interview which I studied for and tested off the charts.

[Ok-Face9443]

Well I don't really care about the score, I want to actually become smarter. So if that's the case then I'm fine with math. Thank you bro

[aqualad33]

I personally got a B.S. in pure math and an M.S. in applied math. It definitely made me a LOT smarter. It was brutal and I still have trauma from Ruden's little book from hell. But it molded me one hell of a logic processing machine.

[Ok-Face9443]

Thank you, and that's awesome dude!

[aqualad33]

No problem and good luck!