Memory exercise · ~75 sec a run · free
N-Back
Spot when a letter repeats from a few steps back.
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The n-back task is a demanding test of working memory and sustained attention. Letters appear one at a time; flag each one that matches the letter shown a set number of steps earlier.
About this test
About this test
What this test measures
This measures working memory and sustained attention together: tracking a stream and matching each item to the one a fixed number of steps back. It is a demanding test of the continuously updated mental scratchpad pilots rely on.
How to improve your score
- Hold only the last few items and let older ones drop as new ones arrive.
- Keep an internal rhythm so updating stays in time with the stream.
- Start at a low n and raise it only once you are reliably accurate.
Good to know
Good to know
Keep a rolling two-item window
As each letter appears, say the current letter and the one before it silently, then check whether this letter matches the one from two steps ago. Do not try to hold a longer chain; keep exactly two items in your window, overwrite the older one on every beat, and decide match or no-match before the next letter lands.A demanding working-memory workout
The 2-back task forces you to update your memory on every beat while suppressing what came before, the same demand as tracking the current version of a clearance while a controller amends it partway through. Balanced accuracy above 70 percent is a solid benchmark, and steady gains across sessions reflect genuine working-memory improvement rather than a lucky run.
Frequently asked questions
What is n-back?
What is n-back?
A continuous memory task where you compare the current item with the one n positions earlier. This drill uses 2-back, so you compare each letter with the one two before it.
How is it scored?
How is it scored?
By balanced accuracy: the average of how many real matches you catch and how many non-matches you correctly let pass. That stops you scoring well by pressing for everything or nothing.
Why is it hard?
Why is it hard?
You must constantly update what you are holding in memory while ignoring older items. That updating is exactly what makes it a strong working-memory measure.
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