Can You Answer These $100 "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" Questions?

Allison Lips

Image: Pinstock / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

In 1999, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? took the world by storm. Even though the original British version of the show debuted a year prior, it felt like everyone in America was watching the show, which Regis Philbin hosted. The franchise is so popular that over 100 different international versions have been made. 

Once the nighttime version of the show's popularity subsided, the show moved to syndication. Since the syndicated version's debut, there have been four hosts. Meredith Viera hosted from 2002 to 2013. Then she passed the reigns to Cedric the Entertainer, who was followed by Terry Crews. Chris Harrison, who took over in 2015, continues to host the show. 

Over the years, the format has changed. However, most people remember the original format, which started with the $100 question and ended with the $1 million question. Along the way, contestants were asked 14 questions and were able to use one of three lifelines if they were unsure of the answer. Contestants were allowed to walk away at any time as long as they had not given an answer. If they gave a wrong answer, they walked away with the amount of the last milestone they reached, which was either $1,000, $5,000, or $50,000. 

Was this your favorite show growing up? Have you ever dreamed of being on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?  Take this quiz to find out whether you'd make it past the first question! 

How many seconds are in a minute?

The Babylonians were the first to divide the day into smaller parts. They used a sexagesimal system, which counts uses 60s as a base, for math and astronomy. That is why there are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour.

What makeup product makes eyelashes appear longer?

Eugene Rimmer developed the first mascara. However, men and women have been decorating their lashes since Ancient Egypt.

What city contains the Eiffel Tower?

The Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 World's Fair. It is 1,063 feet tall and the tallest structure in Paris.

Which sport is also known as football?

"Soccer" was originally a British word. It is a shortening of Association Football.

How many continents are there?

Asia is the largest continent in the world. The other six continents are Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica.

Who wasn't a member of the Beatles?

The Beatles topped the charts in the United Kingdom 17 times. In the United States, the band topped the Billboard 100 21 times.

Which of the following is not a type of pasta?

There are over 350 types of pasta. The different shapes are designed to hold different sauces.

Which state has cities named San Francisco and Hollywood?

In 1910, "In Old California" became the first film entirely produced in Hollywood. However, "The Count of Monte Cristo," which began production in Chicago, was finished in Hollywood in 1908.

Which instrument does not have strings?

While most guitars have 6 strings, 4- and 12-string versions are available. Electric guitars were introduced in the 1930s.

What product does Tesla produce?

In 2003, Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla Motors. Elon Musk did not join the company until early 2004.

Which animal is not a primate?

There are two species of gorilla. They are the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. Adult gorillas can eat up to 66 pounds a day.

What gas makes voices sound higher when inhaled?

Helium does not affect a voice's pitch. It affects the voice's timbre. This happens because sound travels 1,128 feet per second through air, but 3,041 feet per second through helium gas.

What American holiday falls on July 4?

Even though Independence Day is celebrated on July 4, Congress voted to declare independence two days earlier. John Adams wrote to his wife that July 2, 1776 would be the most memorable day in United States history.

Which candy bar shares its name with a galaxy?

The Milky Way galaxy is a translation of the Latin term "via lactea." The name comes from how the galaxy looks from Earth.

What is the capital of England?

London is the largest city in the United Kingdom. The City of London, which is inside Greater London, is only 1.12 square miles.

Which one of the following is not an Ivy League University?

The members of the Ivy League are Brown University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University and Columbia University. With the exception of Cornell, the schools were founded during the colonial period.

What is someone who collects coins called?

The Flowing Hair dollar is the most expensive coin ever sold. It sold for $10 million. The coin is the first one issued by the U.S. Federal Government.

Which video game system does Sony produce?

The PlayStation was released on Dec. 3, 1994. During its lifespan, the original console sold 1000 million units.

What are the names of the Super Mario Bros.?

In 1985, the first home version of Super Mario Bros was released in Japan. Two years later, the game could be played in North America and Europe on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

Which princess lost a glass slipper?

Disney released its version of Cinderella in 1950. It cost $2.9 million to make.

Which American car company makes the Mustang, the F-150 and Escape?

Even though it was first produced in March 1964, the first Ford Mustangs have 1965 model years. Since its introduction, there have been 10 million Mustangs produced in the United States.

Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic?

Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897. She disappeared on July 2, 1937 over the Pacific Ocean.

Which U.S. city is home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall?

Philadelphia is home to the United States' first hospital, first university and first zoo. Benjamin Franklin co-founded Philadelphia Hospital in 1751.

Which pop culture franchise has characters named Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Darth Vader?

The first "Star Wars" movie was released in 1977. Its sequels, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," were released in 1980 and 1983.

How many days are in a leap year?

Leap years occur every four years. During that year, we add Feb. 29 because the Earth does not orbit the sun in exactly 365 days.

Which website is the most popular search engine?

Google processes over 3.5 billion searches per day. That comes to over 1.2 trillion searches worldwide per year.

Who is the current British monarch?

Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926. She became the United Kingdom's reigning monarch on Feb. 6, 1952.

What children's show features characters named Big Bird and Elmo?

Sesame Street has aired on PBS since its debut on Nov. 10, 1969. In 2016, first run episodes moved to HBO. PBS airs them nine months after their appearance on HBO.

Which biblical figure built an ark?

The story of Noah's Ark appears in Genesis chapters 6 through 9. The story also appears in the Quran.

What is the smallest unit of American currency?

Since 1909, the United States has minted pennies. President Abraham Lincoln appears on the face.

What is the first name of McDonald's mascot?

Ronald McDonald made his first appearance in 1963. Willard Scott was the first person to play the mascot.

Who is the current host of "The Tonight Show?"

"The Tonight Show" debuted in 1954 with Steve Allen as host. Other hosts of the show include Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon.

What is the first letter of the Greek alphabet?

The Greek alphabet has been used since about 800 B.C. It is comprised of 24 letters.

Which mode of transportation traditionally has two wheels?

The dandy horse is considered the predecessor to the modern bicycle. The vehicle consisted of two wheels and was foot-powered. It was invented by Karl Drais.

What is the term length for the president of the United States?

The United States president can serve up to 10 years in office. However, the president can only serve two full terms.

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