A study published by Dr. Peter Kramer of the University of Padua in Italy in “PLoS ONE” revealed that people with high ability to estimate the duration of sounds have high mathematical intelligence.

The doctors conducted a sound duration test and mathematical ability test to a total of 202 students (the same number of men and women, average age 22 years old, no abnormality in hearing) and investigated if there is some relationship.

The test is to examine the ability to estimate the duration of sound for 0.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds, 0.5 seconds, 1 second, and 3 seconds. The sound was randomly chosen, and the students were asked to answer the duration of the sound.

Then they tested their mathematical ability with the Wexler adult intelligence test. In addition to the mental arithmetic ability, they were asked to remember 3 to 9 numbers in order and 2 to 8 numbers in reverse order.

In addition, they are asked to answer how much confidence in their mathematical ability.

As a result, students, who have a high ability to estimate the length of a sound, have a high mathematical intelligence with high confidence in their ability.

Based on the results, the researchers say the ability to estimate the duration of a sound is likely to be relative to mathematical and spatial cognitive ability. They said people might be able improve their mathematical skills by training the ability to estimate the duration of sound.