Cognition · ~5 minutes
Measure your working memory.
The classic digit-span task, done properly: digits appear one at a time, you recall them forward, then in reverse. Your span is compared against approximate adult norms — honestly, with no flattery.
You'll see digits appear one at a time. When the sequence ends, type it back. Recall at least one of two trials at a length to move up a digit. The test ends when both trials at a length fail — first forward, then in reverse order. Find a quiet moment; span is sensitive to distraction.
Watch closely — recall comes next.
Forward phase complete.
Now the harder half: the digits will appear the same way, but you'll type them in reverse order. Backward span leans on executive control — it's normal for it to be one to two digits shorter.
Your working-memory span
Percentiles are approximations from published adult group norms, not a clinical measurement. Span moves with sleep, stress, and distraction — a different day can honestly give a different number. Most adults land around 6–7 forward and 4–5 backward.
About this instrument
What this measures — and what it doesn't
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Measures
Working-memory span
How many items you can hold and manipulate at once — the mental workbench that pattern, numeric, and verbal reasoning all borrow. Forward span isolates storage; backward span adds executive control.
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Method
Classic digit span
Digits at a fixed ~0.9-second cadence, two trials per length, phase ends after two failures at one length. Forward starts at three digits, backward at two — the standard clinical-style ladder, self-administered.
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Result
Span + approximate percentile
Your spans are placed against approximate published adult norms (~6.6 forward, ~4.9 backward). The tilde is deliberate: single-session span is a noisier estimate than a full adaptive battery, and we report it that way.
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Limits
Honest limits
Not a clinical memory assessment and not a dementia screen. Span is state-dependent — sleep debt, stress, and noise lower it. An unusual result on one day means very little; a concern about real-life memory belongs with a clinician.
Go deeper
The science behind this instrument
Working memory explained
The mental workbench behind every other domain — span, load, and limits.
Read PerformanceSleep, stress & test performance
The state factors that move your span — and how to test on a fair day.
Read TheoryFluid vs crystallized intelligence
Where working memory sits in the machinery of reasoning.
ReadQuestions
Before you begin
What does this memory test measure?
Working-memory span — how many items you can hold and manipulate in mind at once — using the classic digit-span paradigm: digits are shown one at a time, and you recall them in order (forward) and then in reverse order (backward).
How is my span scored?
You get two trials at each length. Recalling at least one correctly moves you up a digit; failing both ends that phase. Your span is the longest length you recalled, compared against approximate published adult norms — around 6–7 digits forward and 4–5 backward for most adults.
Why is backward span harder — and measured separately?
Forward span mostly measures short-term storage. Reversing the digits forces you to store and transform at the same time, which leans on executive control — the part of working memory that predicts reasoning ability best. That's why the two phases are scored separately before being combined.
Is this a clinical memory assessment?
No. This is an educational instrument, and the percentiles are approximations from published group norms — useful for self-reflection, not diagnosis. Span is also state-dependent: sleep debt and stress measurably lower it, so test rested. If you have real concerns about your memory, speak with a clinician.
Span is one domain. See all five.
The full adaptive test maps memory alongside pattern, numeric, verbal, and spatial reasoning.
Start the assessment