How important is mental age for IQ tests?

Mental age refers to an individual’s mental ability expressed in term of age at which an average person can reach the same level of mental ability.

Mental age is very important for IQ test. For example, if a 10 year old child has a mental age of 14 (meaning the child performed the test at the level of a 14 year old), the child’s IQ will be calculated thus:
IQ = MA/CA * 100
= 14/10 * 100
IQ = 140.
This means the IQ of this child is 140. Mental age is very important and cannot be over looked for IQ test.

Mental age is a concept associated with intelligence. It looks at how a particular child, at a fixed period, performs intellectually, compared to average intellectual performance for that physical age, measured in years. It shows the physical age of the child compared to the mental age of the child. Psychological maturity adjusts according to what kind of intelligence is measured.

IQ is related to the relationship between mental age and physical age times 100. Age plays a vital role when it is associated with IQ. IQ is more relevant to your ability to learn and understand the material. Also, aging affects the way in which people recognize symbols and perceive problems.