Think you’re smart enough to belong to American Mensa, the organization established to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity?

It may depend on whether you’re willing to spend $30 to take the Mensa Admission Test, or on how well you do at the mini-quiz that follows this article.

American Mensa will have its annual National Testing Day Saturday, Oct. 16. Locally, the test will be offered at the Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Road 42. Anyone who scores in the top 2 percent on the test will be invited to join the organization, said Catherine Barney, PR manager for American Mensa Ltd.

Mensa was founded in Great Britain in 1946 by two English barristers, Roland Berrill and Lionel Ware, according to the American Mensa’s Web site. It now has 100,000 members in more than 100 countries.

The Web site states that American Mensa was founded in 1960, with its first meeting in a Brooklyn home with seven members. Now, the organization has approximately 50,000 members. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Texas.

Mensa aims to “encourage research into the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence and provide a stimulating, intellectual and social environment for its members.”

Mensans come from all walks of life and all levels of society. “They range in age from 4 to 102; are high school dropouts and doctoral candidates; enjoy astrophysics and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer;’ and are doctors, lawyers, postal workers, actors, homemakers and engineers.”

“Different people join for different reasons,” Barney said. Some enjoy social activities ranging from game nights to potluck dinners, some join for the magazine and some just so they can say that they’re a member.

“Many members join just for good conversation,” she added, “with people who get their jokes.”

Barney said Mensa members also establish groups and foundations that issue scholarships, donate books to groups that need them or do other kinds of community service in their communities.

The test is open to anyone age 14 and older. Parental permission is required for anyone age 14-17. The test fee is $30. Registration is taken both in advance and as walk-ins. Onsite registration is at 10 a.m. For more information, visit www.us.mensa.org or call 817-607-0060, Ext. 139 (Catherine Barney).

Mensa mini-quiz

1. What number, plus 13, is equal to one-fourth of 116?

2. Start with the number of U.S. senators, subtract the number of states, then multiply by the number of seconds in five minutes. What do you get?

3. Can you think of an American tree whose name contains all five vowels?

4. A well-known saying appears below in high-flown language. Can you restore it to its original form?

It is all but impossible - indeed, very difficult - to attempt to instruct a superannuated canine in the art of acquiring hithertofore unknown stunts or activities.

5. What is the 11-letter word that all smart people spell incorrectly?

6. What royal word in the plural becomes singular when you add one letter?

7. Priscilla and Paul went shopping for a new sofa. They found one for $500 at a special sale. It had been reduced 50 percent and then 20 percent. What did it cost before the sale?

8. The busy chemist left a message for his new assistant: “Try -40 degrees.” The assistant was puzzled. Did he mean centigrade or Fahrenheit?

9. What one three-letter word inserted in the blank below will create two new words from those on either side?

Door _________ Ace

10. Unscramble the letters below to make one word.

New Door

Answers

1. 16

2. 15,000 (100-50 = 50; 50 x 300 = 15,000)

3. Sequoia

4. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

5. Incorrectly.

6. Princes. (becomes Princess)

7. $1,250 (One-half of $1,250 is $625. Twenty percent off $625 leaves $500.)

8. The question is irrelevant: -40 degrees is the same temperature on either scale.

9. Men.

10. One word.