Memory Test
Follow the sequence
About this test
The memory test shows a digit sequence that flashes briefly, then asks you to type it back — measuring your short-term (working) memory. It starts at 3 digits and adds one each time you're correct, ending when you slip.
People usually hold about 7±2 digits at once, the famous ‘magic number seven’ described by psychologist George Miller in 1956. Reaching 9+ is above average and 12+ puts you in the top 1%. The key isn't raw memorization but chunking — grouping digits into meaningful blocks.
Short-term memory tends to peak in your 20s and slowly decline with age, but chunking and practice can raise it. You'll see your max digit length, average response time and accuracy, and how you compare with your age cohort — handy for tracking improvement over time.
What you'll learn
- Your max digit length
- Average response time and accuracy
- Comparison with your age cohort
How it works
- 1Digits flash one per second.
- 2Type the sequence back when it ends.
- 3Correct → +1 digit; wrong → game ends.
FAQ
QWhat's the average memory span in digits?
About 7±2 digits — most people recall 5–9. It's the classic figure from Miller's 1956 ‘magic number seven’ study, and modern research agrees.
QCan I improve my memory?
Chunking — grouping digits into 2–3s — is the most effective trick. Use date or phone-number patterns, and short daily practice can add a digit or two.
QAre short-term and working memory the same?
Close, but working memory stresses holding and processing information at the same time. This test measures the short-term/working memory used to hold and replay a sequence.
QDoes memory decline with age?
Short-term memory generally peaks in your 20s and declines gently after, though training and daily condition matter a lot — individual differences are large.
QIs the ‘magic number seven’ exact?
It's the classic figure from George Miller's 1956 study and modern replications agree, but it varies by person and by the type of information.
