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Only True Geniuses Can Get 16/16 On This Mnemonic Device Quiz

How Well Do You Know Your Mnemonic Devices?

They are the most socially acceptable way to cheat an exam. They’re also, taken at face value, total nonsense.In the phrases below, the first letter of each word corresponds to a certain item in a series.

It’s the directions on a compass — **n**orth, **e**ast, **s**outh, **w**est. If you missed this one, just know that this is only going to get more obscure from here.

It's the order of operations for solving an algebra problem! PEMDAS: **p**arentheses, **e**xponents, **m**ultiplication, **d**ivision, **a**ddition, **s**ubtraction. You're welcome, third-grader.

It's the order of planets in the solar system — **Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.** (Although Pluto was denounced as a formal planet in 2006.)

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"Every good boy deserves fudge" explains the notes on the treble clef from bottom to top: **E, G, B, D, F**.

This one outlines the series of layers in the Open Systems Interconnection model…it’s a computer thing. It stands for: **p**hysical layer, **d**ata link layer, **n**etwork layer, **t**ransport layer, **s**ession layer, **p**resentation layer, and **a**pplication layer.

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This device rocks! It's the geologic epochs — **P**aleocene, **E**ocene, **O**ligocene, **M**iocene, **P**liocene, **P**leistocene, **H**olocene.

This will help you remember the phases of the cell cycle — **i**nterphase, **p**rophase, **m**etaphase, **a**naphase, **t**elophase. It's also how some people squeak past failing high school biology.

This one goes out to the 10 biblical plagues — **w**ater, **f**rogs, **g**nats and **f**lies, **l**ivestock, **b**oils, **h**ail, **l**ocusts, **d**arkness, and **d**eath of the firstborn.

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This is the seven functions of marketing — **d**istribution, **f**inance, **m**arketing, **p**roduct, **p**rice, **p**lace, and **s**elling.

These are the four largest moons of Jupiter, known as the Galilean moons — **I**o, **E**uropa, **G**anymede, and **C**allisto. First discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, the moons are named after the lovers of Zeus.

It's the first 16 presidents — **W**ashington (George), **A**dams (John), **J**efferson (Thomas), **M**adison (James), **M**onroe (James), **A**dams (John Quincy), **J**ackson (Andrew), **V**an Buren (Martin), **H**arrison (William Henry), **T**yler (John), **P**olk (James), **T**aylor (Zachary), **F**illmore (Millard), **P**ierce (Franklin), **B**uchanan (James), and **L**incoln (that’s Abie, baby).

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It’s the first 10 elements of the periodic table: **h**ydrogen, **h**elium, **l**ithium, **b**eryllium, **b**oron, **c**arbon, **n**itrogen, **o**xygen, **f**lourine, **n**eon.  

You could memorize this nonsense phrase, or memorize Tom Lehrer’s periodic table song, [like Daniel Radcliffe did.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1TfPDlA1xE)

Hungry Harry Licked Burgers Bashfully. Curiously, Natasha Offered Floss Nonchalantly  


These are the six essential nutrients: **w**ater, **c**arbohydrates, **p**roteins, **m**inerals, **v**itamins, **l**ipids. For your health!

These are the elements of art — **s**pace, **f**orm, **t**exture, **s**hape, **l**ine, **v**alue, and **c**olor.

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This is to memorize the types of white blood cells, ordered from most to least numerous — **n**eutrophil, **l**ymphocyte, **m**onocyte, **e**osinophil, and **b**asophil.

It's the order of digits in pi.  
Each word in order in this mnemonic contains the same number of letters that correspond to the order of pi: three, (point), one, four, one, five, nine, two, six, five, three, five... Insane, right?

May I have a large container of coffee, cream, and sugar?

But then again, maybe you're a whiz in biology, astronomy, and all these subjects _anyway_, so you don't even need mnemonic devices in the first place.

Okay, so you didn't do so well here.

Once you have these memorized, you'll have the entire universe memorized.

You're not bad at this!

You're so good at this, you should use your expertise as mnemonic devices as an icebreaker at parties. It'll go over like gangbusters.

Nicely done.

You know a mnemonic device from a nonsense scrambling of words any day of the week.

So it turns out — you're a bona fide genius.

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Only True Geniuses Can Get 16/16 On This Mnemonic Device Quiz

Mnemonic devices: They can help fast-track memorization and cram as much knowledge into your cranium as humanly possible.

Can you identify what these mnemonic devices — presented here without context — are meant to explain?

S/O to mnemonic-device.com for inspiration!

Only True Geniuses Can Get 16/16 On This Mnemonic Device Quiz

Mnemonic devices: They can help fast-track memorization and cram as much knowledge into your cranium as humanly possible.

Can you identify what these mnemonic devices — presented here without context — are meant to explain?

S/O to mnemonic-device.com for inspiration!

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