An 1869 entrance exam paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sparked considerable interest in social media for its simplicity. The exam, dating back to just eight years after MIT’s founding, featured seven algebra questions and was shared by a Reddit user, leading to widespread discussion.
Established in 1861, MIT is celebrated globally as a premier engineering, mathematics, and science institution. It boasts over 101 Nobel laureates and 8 Fields Medalists among its faculty and alumni. Despite its historical prestige, the institution is notoriously selective, with an acceptance rate of just 4%. Applicants face rigorous academic and extracurricular demands and must excel in multiple areas to be considered for admission.
MIT Entrance Examination for 1869-1870
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The viral Reddit post has ignited debates among users, with many surprised by the ease of the algebra questions presented in the exam. One user commented, “None of the above problems require a calculator! They only require a basic understanding of Algebra. Most can be solved mentally without even requiring a pen and paper, to be honest.”
Another added, “Yeah, these are surprisingly easy. I didn’t actually solve them, but there is nothing here I don’t know how to solve, and I only have high-school level math from decades ago.”
However, some users suggested that the exam’s difficulty might be underestimated. It included additional sections on geometry, arithmetic, English, and calculus and had to be completed without any calculating tools. “This is just the entrance exam; it also had a geometry and arithmetic section. On top of this, you’d be expected to do these calculations unaided (i.e., no slide rules). MIT hadn’t developed its reputation at this point and was only 8 years old,” a user explained.
