"World's smartest kid" solves rubik's cube

[Joker]

He got his big final right, though.

Yes, and everything else as well (as far as I can tell, couldn't check the missing digit trick). I'm just astonished that he can get away with that. Once he got two of six digits wrong and his judge loudly proclaimed "Yes". WHY? I suspect she actually failed to check and just tried to hide that. What she should have done is say "wait a moment..." and then do it properly. Nothing embarrassing about it. I remember seeing the same thing in a documentary about Kim Peek ("Rain Man") and another with Ruediger Gamm (mental calculator), they made mistakes and just got away with it.

I'm a bit surprised, btw. It was a nice show, but I didn't know they have that kind of stuff at TED. Guess they need some fun between the serious talks

If the performer is fast enough at mental calculation, no normal person (i.e. audience member) would be fast and accurate enough to be sure he made a mistake

They all had pocket calculators, they just had to square a three-digit number, and they got into TED. They should be able to do that.

Stefan Pochmann wins at making points.
He can actually think unlike tons of idiots in the world. :tu

 

[qqwref]

Didn't know they gave the audience pocket calculators (but hey, I didn't actually watch the video since I've seen the guy before). In that case it's incredible that nobody noticed a mistake.

 

[Tyson]

Well, what are you going to do? Stand up, and let him know he was wrong? No! You want the guy NEXT to you to do it. It's a collective responsibility thing maybe... no one wants to speak up.

 

[Weston]

Like how in hypnotism shows, everyone being "hypnotized" just plays along.

 

[Stefan]

Like how in hypnotism shows, everyone being "hypnotized" just plays along.

Yeah, that's what I've been thinking, too.

Well, what are you going to do? Stand up, and let him know he was wrong? No! You want the guy NEXT to you to do it. It's a collective responsibility thing maybe... no one wants to speak up.

Hmm, yes, he's a magician after all, so that could actually be an intentional part of the trick. But if *I* were a judge, I'd be eager to tell him he's wrong. And I certainly wouldn't say he's right unless I've properly checked and he actually is.

 

[Joker]

Well, what are you going to do? Stand up, and let him know he was wrong? No! You want the guy NEXT to you to do it. It's a collective responsibility thing maybe... no one wants to speak up.

Hmm, yes, he's a magician after all, so that could actually be an intentional part of the trick. But if *I* were a judge, I'd be eager to tell him he's wrong. And I certainly wouldn't say he's right unless I've properly checked.

Yea, I'd tell him he is wrong. There is ABSOLUTELY no point to have people with calculators there OTHER than to lie to the audience if they aren't gunna say he's wrong.

 

[Whyusosrs?]

<I like facts. blah blah blah.>

Wouldn't it be interesting to know that 90% of statistics are made up?

This fact is true and thus, interesting.

 

[camcuber]

As stated before, it is impressive that he learned how to solve the cubes at such a young age but when I was watching the video on it and he brought up cubes, I thought that he would solve it intuitively considering he is a "genius." I mean do not get me wrong but the cube isn't particularly hard to learn how to solve. He is way smarter than me though -_-

 

[ElectricDoodie]

<I like facts. blah blah blah.>

Wouldn't it be interesting to know that 90% of statistics are made up?

This fact is true and thus, interesting.

I don't know if you were being serious towards me or not, but if so, you didn't read the thread before posting, or you are just trying to troll me.

If not, I actually did laugh.

 

[ZamHalen]

I truly stopped believing in IQ tests when I started outsmarting the "geniuses" *cough* jerks *cough* that scored high on them. But whatever, what do you think?

These IQ test are not serious and, also, having an high IQ don't don't makes you automatically a jerk.

I wasn't saying it makes you a jerk, it's just that telling a kid that he has a higher IQ than most people somehow makes these kids think that they're better than everyone.This leads them to start putting down "normal" smart kids.I have learned this from experience by meeting several kids like this and only one of them isn't a complete jerk about it.
EDIT: I also think that bragging about IQ is about the same as "My mom thinks I'm special".

 

[chris410]

Yea, I figured that out when I was 10 by myself (cept it was a little different, but still fast)
And when I was 11 I was able to divide any number (whole) by either 9 or 11 freaking quickly by myself. And a bunch of other tricks (when I was in Grd 4 I was doing Grd 9 math)

Exactly my point with numbers, there are plenty of methods when it comes to arithmetic. Any time people ask about cubes I simply them that anyone who puts in a little effort could solve a cube. Now, to get very fast times (from what I have seen in competitions) does take a very good understanding so, I do believe there is intelligence when it comes to cubing.

If the kid is as smart as people claim, one would hope that instead of solving puzzles all day that he will realize his potential, and do something with his life.

 

[Stefan]

Didn't know they gave the audience pocket calculators

Actually they weren't *given* calculators. They used *their own* (he started by asking who had one with them). So they were even used to them and probably used to using them (cause who carries a calculator around just for fun?).

Looks like reduction on 4x4...

Meaning what?

Meaning he could of looked it up. Then again, he might have thought of it hiself.

So it doesn't mean anything? Then why bring it up?

 

[deadalnix]

25% of India's population chosen arbitrarily is greater than the total population of the United States.

Still interesting?

lol, you're right.

To understand what was interesting in this statement you have to get the context in was initially posted in. I don't remeber who was sayiong that indian people was very intelligent people, and gave a link to some webpage presenting smart indians.

So somebody answered that was just because indians are very numerous, so many of them are smart (but many of them are dumb and many of them are in general).

That was an elegant way to present that IMO.

 

[deadalnix]

Now *that* guy... he can do math quickly in his head. He actually performs at the Magic Castle (www.magiccastle.com). It's quite impressive. You can race him multiplying two 5 digit numbers, and you'll loose with a calculator because you can't press the button fast enough. I think I could beat him given a www.daskeyboard.com as opposed to a four function calculator.

You can race me doing a rubik's cube by dismantle it and/or restiker it and loose. That doesn't make me a real genius. Just a trained guy with the right methods.

 

[theace]

India's a crowded place man! About 38.1729896% more than the USA! haha! (no wonder it's smelly here!)

 

[tx789]

I hate that almost everyone relates IQ to how smart you are.
IQ only tests your problem solving abilities.
The majority of people with high IQs would be considered stoopid by a lot of people because they tend to have almost no common sense.

and maths. It show how good you are at maths. IQ test are rubbish any wayhttp://www.upsb.info/forum/style_emoticons/default/facepalm.gif

 

[Joker]

Looks like reduction on 4x4...

Meaning what?

Meaning he could of looked it up. Then again, he might have thought of it hiself.

So it doesn't mean anything? Then why bring it up?

Oh I must have messed up my original post, because I thought I quoted a guy saying something like "If he can solve the cube at the age of 7 by himself he must be pretty smart". And since it looked like reduction, he may have looked it up and not have thought of it on his own.
EDIT
Mess my original post up like I have messed this one up :fp

 

[tx789]

He is hard to understand at the beginning a bit. Is the camera's all in his face causing it
or not

 

[Dene]

Like how in hypnotism shows, everyone being "hypnotized" just plays along.

What's all this? I haven't seen a hypnotism show, but why wouldn't the people actually be hypnotised?

 

[Stefan]

documentary about Kim Peek ("Rain Man") and another with Ruediger Gamm (mental calculator), they made mistakes and just got away with it

Another case I just came across:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSThUCIg5i8#t=2m12
That guy is supposed to memorize and then recall 10x10 digits. Here's what they actually show him recall:

1780924804
3157932618
----------
-------925
----------
---2970971
----------
--27572345
6--0146046
3288760982

The bolded 1 is wrong, it's a 9.
The underlined 0146046 is recalled out of order, before "275..." in the previous row.
All the "-" are not shown being recalled at all.

The reaction? "Excellent!!" and big applause.

The show/video editors lied big time when taking out large parts and rearranging one. Apparently they just trust that the viewers are too stupid to notice. Also, he did get at least that one digit wrong (quite possibly more in the parts not shown). Still, he got away with all of it - the moderator, the audience and the producers didn't care.