A percentile shows the share of people you scored above. Reach the 90th percentile on a sequence memory test and you beat 90 percent of players. Because order is fragile, sequence scores spread out more than you might expect. This page gives the full distribution so you can find your exact rank.
The sequence memory percentile chart
Here’s how sequence memory scores spread across the population:
| Percentile | Score |
|---|---|
| 10th | 5 steps |
| 25th | 7 steps |
| 50th | 9 steps |
| 75th | 11 steps |
| 90th | 13 steps |
| 95th | 14 steps |
| 99th | 16 steps |
The median sits at 9. Most players cluster in the middle, then drop off as the sequences get long, because one wrong tap in a long pattern ends the round. The top of the chart belongs to people who convert the pattern into rhythm.
What the milestones mean
- 9 (50th): median, a typical run.
- 11 (75th): upper quarter, above average.
- 13 (90th): top ten percent, a strong run.
- 16 (99th): top one percent, rare serial memory.
Find your percentile
Take the sequence memory test and match your longest run to the chart. Your percentile shows the instant you finish. For the plain-language read on what’s typical, see the average sequence memory score page. To compare with a recognition-based skill, see the verbal memory percentiles. To see how the typical sequence score shifts across age bands, see memory score by age, and for the methods that move people up the chart, see mnemonic devices.
Frequently asked questions
What sequence memory score is top 1%?
Reaching 16 steps puts you in the top one percent. Long sequences are hard to hold because a single misplaced tap ends the round, so very few people get this far. Those who do almost always turn the pattern into a tune or rhythm rather than memorizing raw positions.
Why is the sequence distribution wider than digit span?
Because order tasks have more room to separate people. A digit test caps out near seven for almost everyone, but sequence memory rewards specific strategies like rhythm and chunking, which stretch the top of the distribution. That gives sequence scores a longer tail, so ranks spread out more.
How do I climb the sequence percentile chart?
Hear the pattern as a melody, give each tile a beat, and break long sequences into two shorter runs. These convert a fragile list of positions into something memory grips. Watch the whole pattern before repeating it rather than tapping along. The full method is on the sequence memory test page.