Ever sit down, feel bold, and then a kid’s homework smacks you in the ego? That’s the magic of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. The TV show turned quiz craze that reminds grown-ups how much we’ve forgotten – or never learned.
These questions aren’t fluff. They sting. Multiplication tables. State capitals. History dates you once scribbled into a notebook. They all come back to test your pride.
So here’s the real deal: 150+ questions with answers. The kind of list that can fuel family game nights, classroom ice-breakers, or even sharpen your brain during lunch breaks. And yes – if you’ve got kids, you might just lose to them.
This isn’t just a dump of trivia. It’s a tour through subjects: math, science, history, grammar, geography, even random factoids that seem invented to trip you. Ready? Let’s dive.
Why These Questions Matter
Before we fire through the list, let’s pause. Why do these “kid-level” questions slap so hard? It’s not that fifth graders are geniuses. It’s the way elementary school drills in raw facts. Adults? We lean on Google, calculators, and autopilot thinking. Fifth graders are swimming in the basics daily. That’s their turf.
Plus, there’s a hidden power here. These questions sharpen memory, wake up dusty brain corners, and spark curiosity. You’ll find yourself saying, “Wait, that’s actually interesting.”
And yes, quizzes like this make great blog bait. People search for them, share them, argue over them. If you’re here, you’re proof.
Smarter Than A 5th Grader Questions With Answers
1. MATH Questions
- Q: What is the perimeter of a square with side length 5 inches?
A: 20 inches - Q: Simplify the fraction 816\tfrac{8}{16}168.
A: 12\tfrac{1}{2}21 - Q: What is 3.45×103.45 \times 103.45×10?
A: 34.5 - Q: How many degrees are there in a right angle?
A: 90 degrees - Q: What do we call the answer to a multiplication problem?
A: The product - Q: What is 72÷872 \div 872÷8?
A: 9 - Q: What do we call the result of a division problem?
A: The quotient - Q: How many inches are in 2 feet?
A: 24 inches - Q: Solve 9×79 \times 79×7.
A: 63 - Q: Express 14\tfrac{1}{4}41 as a decimal.
A: 0.25 - Q: In the number 45,321, what is the place value of the 5?
A: The thousands place - Q: What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 12 and 18?
A: 6 - Q: Express 35\tfrac{3}{5}53 as a percentage.
A: 60% - Q: What is 14+23+914 + 23 + 914+23+9?
A: 46 - Q: What is 700÷100700 \div 100700÷100?
A: 7 - Q: How many sides does a hexagon have?
A: 6 - Q: What is 20% of 50?
A: 10 - Q: If you multiply any number by 0, what is the result?
A: 0 - Q: What is the next prime number after 7?
A: 11 - Q: How many millimeters are in a centimeter?
A: 10 - Q: Round 3.456 to the nearest hundredth.
A: 3.46 - Q: What do we call a triangle with two equal sides?
A: An isosceles triangle - Q: What is 12×1212 \times 1212×12?
A: 144 - Q: How many centimeters are in a meter?
A: 100 - Q: How many ounces are in a pound?
A: 16 - Q: What is the sum of the interior angles of a triangle?
A: 180 degrees - Q: Simplify 6×(3+2)6 \times (3 + 2)6×(3+2).
A: 30 - Q: What is the product of 15 and 4?
A: 60 - Q: True or False: 70\tfrac{7}{0}07 is a valid fraction.
A: False (division by zero is undefined) - Q: If you have 3 boxes with 5 apples each, how many apples do you have in total?
A: 15
2. SCIENCE Questions
- Q: What is the process by which plants make their own food?
A: Photosynthesis - Q: Which part of the plant conducts photosynthesis?
A: Leaves - Q: Which gas do living creatures need to breathe in to survive?
A: Oxygen - Q: What force pulls objects toward Earth?
A: Gravity - Q: What is the center of an atom called?
A: The nucleus - Q: Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
A: Mars - Q: What phenomenon causes day and night?
A: Earth’s rotation on its axis - Q: Which layer of Earth is directly beneath the crust?
A: The mantle - Q: Which organ pumps blood throughout the human body?
A: The heart - Q: During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release which gas?
A: Oxygen - Q: What type of energy is stored in a battery?
A: Chemical energy - Q: What is the largest planet in our solar system?
A: Jupiter - Q: How many planets are in our solar system?
A: 8 (Pluto is classified as a dwarf planet) - Q: What is the process called when water vapor turns into liquid?
A: Condensation - Q: Which star is closest to Earth?
A: The Sun - Q: Animals that eat only plants are called what?
A: Herbivores - Q: Which organ helps you breathe?
A: The lungs - Q: Which chemical element are diamonds mostly made of?
A: Carbon - Q: Molten rock beneath Earth’s surface is known as what?
A: Magma - Q: Which planet is closest to the Sun?
A: Mercury - Q: What is the freezing point of water in degrees Celsius?
A: 0°C - Q: What pigment gives plants their green color?
A: Chlorophyll - Q: A group of tissues working together to perform a specific function is called what?
A: An organ - Q: Which mammal is capable of true flight?
A: Bats - Q: Name one gas that makes up most of Earth’s atmosphere.
A: Nitrogen (about 78%) - Q: What do we call it when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth?
A: A solar eclipse - Q: What is the path Earth takes around the Sun called?
A: An orbit - Q: How many moons does Earth have?
A: 1 - Q: Which part of a plant anchors it in the ground and absorbs water?
A: The roots - Q: What is the largest land animal on Earth?
A: The African elephant
3. ENGLISH Questions
- Q: Which punctuation mark is used at the end of an interrogative sentence?
A: A question mark - Q: What is the plural form of “mouse”?
A: Mice - Q: Which is a synonym for “big”: enormous or tiny?
A: Enormous - Q: Which word in this sentence is an adjective: “The fluffy cat slept on the couch”?
A: Fluffy - Q: What do we call a word that is similar in meaning to another word?
A: A synonym - Q: Which part of speech describes an action or state of being?
A: A verb - Q: What do we call a word that has the opposite meaning of another word?
A: An antonym - Q: Which of these is a complete sentence:
- “Ran to the park”
- “I ran to the park”
A: “I ran to the park.”
- Q: Which punctuation mark is used at the end of an exclamatory sentence?
A: An exclamation point - Q: Name the three articles in English.
A: a, an, the - Q: Which of these words is spelled correctly: “libary” or “library”?
A: “library” - Q: Which conjunction correctly fills in the blank: “I want to go to the party, ____ I have homework to do.”?
A: “but” - Q: What is the subject in the sentence “The dog barked loudly”?
A: “The dog” - Q: What is the main purpose of a pronoun?
A: To replace a noun (and avoid repetition) - Q: Which sentence is first-person point of view:
- “I went to the store.”
- “He went to the store.”
A: “I went to the store.”
- Q: What do we call a word that sounds the same as another but has a different meaning?
A: A homophone (or homonym) - Q: What is the comparative form of “good”?
A: “better” - Q: Which word is a noun: run, happiness, or quickly?
A: happiness
(Note: “run” can also be a noun in some contexts, but typically it’s a verb.) - Q: What is the superlative form of “quick”?
A: “quickest” - Q: A piece of writing made up of lines and stanzas is called what?
A: A poem - Q: Which letter is silent in the word “knight”?
A: “k” - Q: What do we call the main events that make up a story?
A: The plot - Q: Which prefix means “not” in words like “impossible” or “inaccurate”?
A: “im-” or “in-” - Q: In the sentence “They are reading their books over there,” how many homophones appear?
A: 2 (“their” and “there”) - Q: What is the past tense of “go”?
A: “went” - Q: Repeating the same beginning sound in words (e.g., “Peter Piper picked…”) is known as what?
A: Alliteration - Q: In “Susan runs quickly,” which word is the adverb?
A: “quickly” - Q: Which two letters often appear together to make the “sh” sound in English?
A: s and h - Q: Which punctuation mark is used to show possession or a contraction?
A: An apostrophe - Q: Which of the following words is an interjection: “Wow,” “and,” or “cat”?
A: “Wow”
4. GEOGRAPHY Questions
- Q: How many continents are there on Earth?
A: 7 - Q: Which is the largest continent by land area?
A: Asia - Q: What is the capital city of France?
A: Paris - Q: Which ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
A: The Pacific Ocean - Q: Which continent is also a country?
A: Australia - Q: What is the longest river in the world (traditionally taught)?
A: The Nile - Q: On which continent is Egypt located?
A: Africa - Q: What is the capital of the United States?
A: Washington, D.C. - Q: Which mountain range includes Mount Everest?
A: The Himalayas - Q: Which country lies in both Asia and Europe (largest example)?
A: Russia - Q: Which is the largest ocean on Earth?
A: The Pacific Ocean - Q: What is the capital of England?
A: London - Q: Which continent is directly south of Europe?
A: Africa - Q: Which is the largest hot desert in the world?
A: The Sahara Desert - Q: Which country has the second-largest population in the world (traditionally taught)?
A: India - Q: What is the largest country by land area?
A: Russia - Q: Which country is known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”?
A: Japan - Q: Which U.S. state is the largest by area?
A: Alaska - Q: In which U.S. state is the Grand Canyon located?
A: Arizona - Q: Which country is home to the Great Barrier Reef?
A: Australia - Q: What is Earth’s tallest mountain above sea level?
A: Mount Everest - Q: Which ocean is located at Earth’s southernmost region?
A: The Southern (Antarctic) Ocean - Q: Which city is known as the “Big Apple”?
A: New York City - Q: Which country is famous for its ancient pyramids (besides Sudan)?
A: Egypt - Q: What is the capital city of Canada?
A: Ottawa - Q: How many Great Lakes are there?
A: 5 - Q: Which line of latitude divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
A: The Equator - Q: Which line of longitude divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?
A: The Prime Meridian - Q: Which large sea is located between Europe and Africa?
A: The Mediterranean Sea - Q: What is the capital city of Italy?
A: Rome
5. HISTORY Questions
- Q: Who was the first President of the United States?
A: George Washington - Q: Which ancient civilization built the pyramids in Egypt?
A: The ancient Egyptians - Q: Which war was fought between the North and South regions of the United States?
A: The American Civil War - Q: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence (primarily)?
A: Thomas Jefferson - Q: Which famous document begins with “We the People”?
A: The U.S. Constitution - Q: Which explorer is often credited with “discovering” the Americas in 1492 (though Indigenous peoples were already here)?
A: Christopher Columbus - Q: Which famous Greek city-state was known for its strong military?
A: Sparta - Q: Who was called the “Maid of Orléans” and fought in the Hundred Years’ War?
A: Joan of Arc - Q: Which empire built roads across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa?
A: The Roman Empire - Q: Who was the 16th President of the United States?
A: Abraham Lincoln - Q: During which war was the Battle of Gettysburg fought?
A: The American Civil War - Q: Which ancient civilization invented the concept of democracy?
A: The ancient Greeks (particularly Athens) - Q: In which year did World War II end?
A: 1945 - Q: What was the name of the ship on which the Pilgrims sailed to America in 1620?
A: The Mayflower - Q: Who gave the “I Have a Dream” speech during the Civil Rights Movement?
A: Martin Luther King Jr. - Q: What was the name of the trade route connecting China to the Mediterranean region?
A: The Silk Road - Q: Which document, signed in 1215, limited the power of the English king?
A: The Magna Carta - Q: On which two Japanese cities were atomic bombs dropped during World War II?
A: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Q: Which empire was ruled by Genghis Khan?
A: The Mongol Empire - Q: What do we call the medieval system in Europe with lords, vassals, and serfs?
A: Feudalism - Q: Which U.S. President’s portrait appears on the $5 bill?
A: Abraham Lincoln - Q: What was the name of the first permanent English settlement in America?
A: Jamestown (Virginia) - Q: Besides Egypt, which African country is home to many ancient pyramids?
A: Sudan (ancient Nubia/Kush) - Q: In which conflict was the Battle of Hastings fought?
A: The Norman Conquest of England (1066) - Q: Who was the British monarch during the American Revolutionary War?
A: King George III - Q: Which empire in modern-day Mexico was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century?
A: The Aztec Empire - Q: Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote?
A: The 19th Amendment - Q: Which Civil Rights figure famously refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama?
A: Rosa Parks - Q: What was the imaginary boundary separating Communist Eastern Europe and Western Europe after World War II called?
A: The Iron Curtain - Q: Which U.S. President issued the Emancipation Proclamation?
A: Abraham Lincoln
Final Thoughts
So, are you smarter than a 5th grader? Chances are, sometimes yes, often no. Doesn’t matter. The point isn’t winning. It’s laughing, learning, rediscovering the small stuff that builds the big stuff.
And hey, next time you blank on the capital of Canada, don’t sweat. Just blame it on adulthood.
