What is your predictive BI analytics IQ?

Predictive analytics, a subset of BI analytics, was a hot topic at the Information Builders Summit in Kissimmee, Fla., this week. Predictive BI analytics is about detecting and interpreting patterns in business data in order to make guesses about what’s probably around the corner. Humans are pretty good at this, or we wouldn’t be here. As the amount of data that businesses collect, process and store in any given minute swells, the task of seeing the relevant patterns increasingly is the job of machine learning, artificial intelligence and data mining tools.

One thing we haven’t lost is our love of puzzles. Test your analytics IQ with four brainteasers, offered up in a session on BI analytics by researcher and BI author Wayne Eckerson of TDWI Research. (The smarties in the room were quick to solve all but one.)

1. 1. What is the missing number in the following layout?

37   10    82
29   11    47
96   25    87
42    ?     15

2. 2. What does this equal?

12 = DD + 11 = PP + 10 = LL + 9 = LD + 8 = MM + 7 = SS + 6 = GL = 5 = GR + 4 = CB + 3 = FH + 2 = TD + 1 = PPT = ?

3. 3. What do these words have in common?

Vermont
Statuesque
Swedish
Arthur’s
Africa
Sensation
Misunderstood

4. 4. Which word does not belong?

Binoculars
Eyeglasses
Goggles
Handlebars
Jeans
Pliers
Scissors
Shoes
Tweezers

Answers: 6 (sum of the two digits of the number flanking the middle column); Twelve Days of Christmas; each contains the abbreviation for a day of the week; shoes (the only pair on the list that is not connected.)