Why I hate standardized IQ tests

[tahnan]

From a puzzle board I read:

"John likes 400 but not 300; he likes 100 but not 99; he likes 2500 but not 2400. Which does he like? (a) 900 (b) 1000 (c) 1100 (d) 1200"

The problem, as jadelennox has noted often in the past, is that there are often other paths entirely one can use to get to an answer.

So here's a test for my readers: what is the intended answer, and which incorrect answer did I come up with as my first answer after perhaps twenty seconds of thought, and why?

Comments

He likes these numbers because he's lazy.

[mlstrm.livejournal.com]

It's because John is trying to write them out as Roman numerals, and the numbers _he_ likes take up less space. CD is shorter than CCC, C is way shorter than XCIX, and he prefers MMD to MMCD.

So being the lazy guy he is, it's no wonder he'd pick 1000 (M) over the rest.

(Yes, Tahnan, I did get the intended answer of 900.)