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173 Creative 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader' Questions for 2025

Published on Apr 8th 2025
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions have challenged people of all ages for years, and it all started with a popular TV game show. This test of grade school knowledge can be super entertaining as adults make amusing mistakes while trying to recall (often unsuccessfully) basic facts about maths, history and science. 

Though the original show has ended, you can still challenge yourself today with these 173 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader game questions.

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Best Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Game Questions

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Whether you’re looking for positive quotes for work or funny questions to ask while playing the Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader game, you’ll find plenty of variety here to spark your curiosity.

1. What’s the name of the closest star to Earth? — The Sun

2. What’s the freezing point of water in Celsius? — 0 degrees

3. Which ocean is the biggest? — Pacific Ocean

4. What’s the tallest animal in the world? — Giraffe

5. What kind of tree grows acorns? — Oak tree

6. Which planet is known as the "Red Planet"? — Mars

7. How many cents are in a dollar? — 100

8. Which bird is known for its ability to mimic human speech? — Parrot

9. Which famous scientist developed the theory of relativity? — Albert Einstein

10. What type of animal is a koala? — Marsupial

11. What is the largest mammal on Earth? — Blue whale

12. Which organ in the human body filters blood and removes waste? — Kidneys

13. What is the blood type referred to as the universal recipient? — AB

14. What is the largest bird that cannot fly? — Ostrich

15. What are the primary colors of light? — Red, green, and blue

16. Which ancient civilization built the pyramids of Giza? — The Ancient Egyptians

17. What is the largest land animal? — African elephant

18. How many bones are in the human body? — 206

19. What is the longest river in the world? — The Nile River

20. Which animal is known as the "King of the Jungle"? — Lion

21. Which famous ship sank on its maiden voyage in 1912? — Titanic

22. Which natural disaster is measured using the Richter scale? — Earthquake

23. In the book Mr. Popper's Penguins, the first penguin sent to Mr. Popper by Admiral Drake is named after which famous explorer? — Captain James Cook

24. What is the only food that never spoils? — Honey

25. What is the largest organ in the human body? — Skin

26. What is the name of the first man to walk on the Moon? — Neil Armstrong

27. What is the study of plants called? — Botany

28. Which country is home to the kangaroo? — Australia

29. What is the name of a shape with five sides? — Pentagon

30. What do you call a house made of ice? — An igloo

31. What’s the name of the bird that can’t fly and lives in Antarctica? — Penguin

32. What’s the fastest land animal? — Cheetah

33. What is the name of the famous wizard school Harry Potter attends? — Hogwarts

34. What is the name of the gas we breathe out? — Carbon dioxide

35. How many inches are in a foot? — 12

36. What’s the name of Mickey Mouse’s dog? — Pluto

37. What do you call water when it turns into a gas? — Steam

38. How many colors are there in a rainbow? — Seven

39. Are reptiles warm-blooded or cold-blooded? — They are cold-blooded.

40. What do you call a word that has the same meaning as another word? — Synonym

41. What do you call the front part of a ship? — Bow

42. What tool is used to find directions? — Compass

43. How many stars are on the United States flag? — 50

44. What shape is a stop sign? — Octagon

45. What is the name of the largest planet in our solar system? — Jupiter

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions Multiple Choice

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One of the most exciting ways to spice up a session of the Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader game is with a mix of multiple-choice questions. Multiple choice options provide an engaging format that encourages critical thinking while adding some variety.

46. Question: What is the capital of France?

A) London

B) Rome

C) Berlin

D) Paris

47. Question: Which of these animals is a mammal?

A) Snake

B) Fish

C) Dolphin

D) Lizard

48. Question: Which of these is NOT a state of matter?

A) Solid

B) Energy

C) Liquid

D) Gas

49. Question: What is the capital of Japan?

A) Beijing

B) Seoul

C) Tokyo

D) Bangkok

50. Question: What is the main gas in Earth's atmosphere?

A) Oxygen

B) Carbon Dioxide

C) Nitrogen

D) Hydrogen

51. Question: What is the name of our galaxy?

A) Andromeda

B) Milky Way

C) Solar System

D) Orion

52. Question: Who wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?

A) J.K. Rowling

B) Dr. Seuss

C) Roald Dahl

D) C.S. Lewis

53. Question: Which is NOT a primary color of light?

A) Red

B) Green

C) Yellow

D) Blue

54. Question: What do we call a scientist who studies rocks?

A) Biologist

B) Geologist

C) Meteorologist

D) Astronomer

55. Question: Which planet has the most moons?

A) Earth

B) Jupiter

C) Saturn

D) Mars

56. Question: Which of these is a carnivore?

A) Cow

B) Rabbit

C) Tiger

D) Gorilla

57. Question: Which is NOT a season?

A) Summer

B) Autumn

C) Monsoon

D) Winter

58. Question: What is the freezing point of water in Fahrenheit?

A) 0°F

B) 32°F

C) 100°F

D) 212°F

59. Question: Who invented the light bulb?

A) Alexander Graham Bell

B) Thomas Edison

C) Albert Einstein

D) Nikola Tesla

60. Question: Which of these animals is not a reptile?

A) Snake

B) Frog

C) Turtle

D) Lizard

61. Question: Which of these is NOT a fruit?

A) Apple

B) Tomato

C) Celery

D) Strawberry

62. Question: Which of these is a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci?

A) Starry Night

B) Mona Lisa

C) The Scream

D) Water Lilies

63. Question: What do you call a scientist who studies weather?

A) Geologist

B) Biologist

C) Meteorologist

D) Archaeologist

64. Question: What is H2O better known as?

A) Oxygen

B) Hydrogen

C) Water

D) Air

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions in History

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If you're a fan of fun facts and learning something new, you'll enjoy this set of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions, history edition. Just like remembering Christmas movie trivia during the holiday season, these history questions will test whether you've retained those essential facts you learned in elementary school.

65. Who was the first President of the United States? — George Washington

66. In what year did Christopher Columbus first sail to the Americas? — 1492

67. What famous document begins with "We the People"? — The Constitution of the United States

68. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? — Thomas Jefferson

69. Which explorer is known for being the first European to reach India by sea? — Vasco da Gama

70. What was the name of the first permanent English settlement in North America? — Jamestown

71. In what year did the United States declare independence from Great Britain? — 1776

72. Which Native American woman helped Lewis and Clark on their expedition? — Sacagawea

73. What was the name of the first airplane flown by the Wright brothers? — The Wright Flyer

74. Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean? — Amelia Earhart

75. Who was the ancient Greek storyteller famous for his fables? — Aesop

76. What did Alexander Graham Bell invent in 1876? — The telephone

77. Who was the first person to step on the moon? — Neil Armstrong

78. What was the name of the period in the Middle Ages when arts and learning grew quickly? — The Renaissance

79. Which female pharaoh ruled ancient Egypt? — Cleopatra

80. Who painted the Mona Lisa? — Leonardo da Vinci

81. Who was the first female Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court? — Sandra Day O'Connor

82. Which ancient civilization built the city of Machu Picchu? — The Incas

83. Who created the polio vaccine? — Jonas Salk

84. Which empire was led by Caesar Augustus? — The Roman Empire

85. Who was the Viking explorer believed to have reached North America around 1000 CE? — Leif Erikson

86. What is the name of the famous bell in Philadelphia that symbolizes American independence? — The Liberty Bell

87. What year did World War II end? — 1945

88. Which country gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States? — France

89. Who was the first African American to play Major League Baseball? — Jackie Robinson

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions in Math

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While they might seem simple at first glance, you'd be surprised how many grown-ups struggle with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions math when put on the spot.

90. If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 5 nickels, how much money do you have? — $1.45 (75¢ + 40¢ + 25¢ = $1.45)

91. How many degrees are in a right angle? — 90 degrees

92. What is 2/5 of 35? — 14 (2/5 × 35 = 14)

93. If a recipe calls for 3/4 cup of flour and you want to double the recipe, how much flour do you need? — 1 1/2 cups (3/4 × 2 = 6/4 = 1 1/2)

94. What is the sum of all angles in a triangle? — 180 degrees

95. If you save $5 each week, how much will you have saved after 1 year (52 weeks)? — $260 (5 × 52 = 260)

96. If a pizza is cut into 8 equal slices and you eat 3 slices, what fraction of the pizza did you eat? — 3/8

97. If a class has 24 students and 3/8 of them are boys, how many boys are in the class? — 9 boys (3/8 × 24 = 9)

98. If a pen costs $1.25 and you buy 4 pens, how much change will you get from a $10 bill? — $5.00 (10 - (1.25 × 4) = 10 - 5 = 5)

99. If a car travels at 55 miles per hour, how far will it travel in 3 hours? — 165 miles (55 × 3 = 165)

100. What is the next number in the pattern: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___? — 48 (each number is multiplied by 2)

101. If you start with the number 36 and divide by 4, then multiply by 2, what number do you get? — 18 ((36 ÷ 4) × 2 = 9 × 2 = 18)

102. If you flip a coin, what is the probability of getting heads? — 1/2 or 50%

103. If you have 3 small boxes, and each box contains 4 toys, how many toys do you have altogether? — 12 toys (3 × 4 = 12)

104. If a bus leaves at 2:45 PM and arrives at 4:15 PM, how long was the bus ride? — 1 hour and 30 minutes (90 minutes)

105. When rounded to the nearest ten, what is 347? — 350

106. If a box contains 2 dozen pencils, how many pencils are there? — 24 pencils (2 × 12 = 24)

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions in Science

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You might think you remember your science basics, but these Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions will truly put your memory to the test.

107. Which metal is liquid at room temperature? — Mercury

108. Which is the largest bone in the human body? — The femur

109. Which layer of the Earth's atmosphere contains the ozone layer? — Stratosphere

110. What is the process called when water changes from a liquid to a gas? — Evaporation

111. Which gas do plants absorb from the air? — Carbon dioxide

112. What are the three states of matter? — Solid, liquid, and gas

113. What is the smallest unit of life in all living things? — Cell

114. What is the name of the line that divides the Earth in half? — Equator

115. What’s the name of the instrument used to look at very tiny things? — Microscope

116. What is the name of the process where plants make their own food using sunlight? — Photosynthesis

117. What causes the ocean tides on Earth? — The gravitational pull of the Moon

118. What are the four main layers of the Earth from the outside in? — Crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core

119. Which planet has the Great Red Spot? — Jupiter

120. What is the name of Earth's only natural satellite? — The Moon

121. What causes day and night on Earth? — Earth's rotation on its axis

122. What are the four chambers of the human heart called? — Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle

123. What do you call animals that have a backbone? — Vertebrates

124. Which body system is responsible for fighting diseases? — Immune system

125. What type of energy does a moving object have? — Kinetic energy

126. What is it called when light bends as it passes from one substance to another? — Refraction

127. What causes a rainbow to appear? — Sunlight passing through water droplets in the air

128. What is the first step in the scientific method? — Ask a question

129. What is a controlled experiment? — An experiment where only one variable is changed while all others are kept the same

130. What scientist is famous for his theory of evolution by natural selection? — Charles Darwin

131. What do we call the study of fossils? — Paleontology

132. What part of the brain controls balance and coordination? — Cerebellum

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions in Grammar & Spelling

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Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions about grammar and spelling can help you see whether you've retained that fifth-grade knowledge or if it's time for a refresher.

133. What is the correct spelling: "recieve" or "receive"? — Receive

134. What is the correct spelling of the number 40: "fourty" or "forty"? — Forty

135. How do you spell the opposite of "remember"? — Forget

136. What is the correct spelling: "definately" or "definitely"? — Definitely

137. What is the correct spelling: "seperate" or "separate"? — Separate

138. Which punctuation mark ends a statement? — Period (.)

139. What are the eight parts of speech in English? — Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection

140. What is the past tense of the verb "run"? — Ran

141. What part of speech names a person, place, thing, or idea? — Noun

142. What is the plural form of "mouse"? — Mice

143. What do we call a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and spelling? — Homophone

144. What is the subject in this sentence: "The cat chased the mouse"? — The cat

145. What is the verb in this sentence: "She walked to school yesterday"? — Walked

146. What is the comparative form of the adjective "good"? — Better

147. What is a contraction of "they are"? — They're

148. What is the difference between "your" and "you're"? — "Your" shows possession, and "you're" is a contraction of "you are"

149. What is a palindrome? — A word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward

150. What is the difference between "affect" and "effect"? — "Affect" is usually a verb meaning to influence, while "effect" is usually a noun meaning result

151. What is a compound word? — A word made up of two or more words joined together (like "sunshine" or "birthday")

152. What is the plural of “baby”? — babies

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions in Geography

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Now it’s time to test your map skills with this set of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions in geography. If you’ve already tried the Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader math questions or Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions in history, this geography section is the perfect next challenge.

153. In which country would you find the Great Barrier Reef? — Australia

154. What is the name of the famous clock tower in London? — Big Ben

155. What is the largest continent by land area? — Asia

156. What is the largest country in the world by land area? — Russia

157. What country is shaped like a boot? — Italy

158. Which two continents are connected by the Isthmus of Panama? — North America and South America

159. What large land mass connects Europe and Asia? — The Eurasian landmass (sometimes called Eurasia)

160. What country is known as the "Land of the Rising Sun"? — Japan

161. What ocean lies between North America and Europe? — Atlantic Ocean

162. What is the capital city of Egypt? — Cairo

163. What is the capital city of Australia? — Canberra

164. Which country has the largest population in the world? — China

165. What is the tallest mountain in the world? — Mount Everest

166. What is the name of the desert that covers much of northern Africa? — Sahara Desert

167. What is the longest river in the United States? — Missouri River

168. What is the largest island in the world? — Greenland

169. What body of water separates Europe from Africa? — Mediterranean Sea

170. Which direction does the sun rise? — East

171. Which direction does the sun set? — West

172. Which famous landmark in Paris is a tall iron tower? — Eiffel Tower

173. What is the name of the famous canyon in Arizona, USA? — Grand Canyon

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader Questions FAQs

Who Is the 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader' Host?

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader was initially hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and later by John Cena.

Has Anyone Won 1 Million on ‘Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader’?

Throughout the original four seasons of the show, only two adults managed to win the $1 million prize and were officially declared smarter than a fifth grader. One winner was the Georgia State School Superintendent, while the other was a university professor and Nobel Prize laureate in Physics.

The best Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions run the gamut from simple trivia to surprisingly tricky brain teasers that’ll have you really scratching your head. But not to worry, these Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader questions can stump even the brightest among us and at the end of the day, it’s all in good fun. 

Whether you start with the Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader multiple-choice questions or go straight for the math problems, you’re sure to find a challenge that keeps you thinking and entertained. For even more fun, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!