Bill Gates Trivia Questions

Gates was an avid reader as a child and famously read the entire World Book Encyclopedia. He reads about 50 books a year now.

At his peak in 1999, Gates was worth over $100 billion, surpassing the GDP of many small nations.

He co-founded the Giving Pledge in 2010 with Warren Buffett, promising to donate majority of his fortune.

Gates dropped out of Harvard in 1975 to co-found Microsoft with Paul Allen, a well-known but true fact that still surprises some people given his later philanthropy.

True. Gates dropped out of Harvard in 1975 to start Microsoft with Paul Allen. He never finished his degree, though he later received an honorary one.

He left Harvard in 1975 after his sophomore year to co-found Microsoft, never finishing his degree until an honorary one later.

Gates started coding at age 13 and has often spoken about his early passion for programming. This statement contradicts his known history.

This is a common viral myth. Even at his peak wealth, picking up $1,000 takes seconds; his per-second earnings are far less than that.

Gates did drop out of Harvard, but Microsoft's first office was a small rented space in Albuquerque, New Mexico—not a garage. That myth belongs to Apple.

He held the top spot many years but lost it several times, including to Carlos Slim and Jeff Bezos during that period.

At Lakeside School, Gates and Paul Allen exploited bugs to get prime class slots. The school caught them and revoked computer privileges for a year.

Microsoft bought QDOS from Seattle Computer Products and adapted it; Gates didn't write the original code himself.

His yacht, the 'Wayfinder,' uses diesel generators; hydrogen fuel yachts exist but aren't his primary vessel.

He consistently reads roughly 50 books annually and posts detailed reviews on his blog GatesNotes, a habit he started decades ago.

Gates dropped out of Harvard in 1975 to found Microsoft and only received an honorary degree in 2007.

He was heavily involved in early software, but Microsoft files thousands of patents annually—no single person reviews them all.

Gates came from a wealthy family—his father was a prominent lawyer and his mother served on corporate boards. He paid full tuition, no scholarship.

Harvard awarded Gates an honorary doctorate in 2007. While he never earned a bachelor's, the university officially recognizes him as a graduate (honoris causa).

False. Gates never owned a majority of Apple. He once invested $150 million in Apple in 1997 to help it avoid bankruptcy, but that was a small non-voting stake.

True. As of 2024, Gates has donated over $50 billion, more than half his fortune, focusing on global health, education, and poverty.

This is a common myth. Gates has used various smartphones over the years, including Windows Phones and later Android devices, though he famously preferred Windows Mobile early on.

Gates is a voracious reader and has publicly stated he reads about 50 books per year, often sharing reviews on his blog GatesNotes.

False. Windows was a massive project. Gates was involved in early strategy and some coding for BASIC, but the OS was built by a team including developers like Nathan Myhrvold.

He held the top spot many years but was intermittently surpassed by others like Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, and Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim during that period.

False. Gates has rented parts of Lanai for vacations, but the island is 98% owned by Larry Ellison, not Gates. Ellison bought it in 2012.

Gates left Harvard in 1975 to start Microsoft and never completed his degree, though he later received an honorary doctorate in 2007.

MS-DOS was originally created by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products. Gates licensed it to IBM and later bought the rights, but did not invent it.

Microsoft bought QDOS from Tim Paterson and licensed it to IBM as MS-DOS; Gates didn't write it alone.

In a 2017 interview with Quartz, Gates proposed taxing robots that replace human jobs to fund retraining and social programs.

Gates is an avid reader but has not read every book he owns. His library is vast, but he famously takes notes on only a fraction.

Gates was officially granted a leave of absence from Harvard in 1975 to start Microsoft, and he never formally withdrew, though he didn't return.

In a 2021 interview, Gates revealed he uses an iPhone for personal use, though he doesn't use Microsoft apps exclusively on it.

Gates is known for a simple diet, but pizza isn't his favorite; he famously prefers Diet Coke and cheeseburgers.

As of 2023, Gates has given approximately $59 billion through the Gates Foundation and personal gifts, the most by any living person.

Gates wrote significant portions, but Paul Allen and Monte Davidoff also contributed heavily to the Altair BASIC in 1975.

Gates purchased 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products in 1980 for $50,000, then licensed it to IBM as MS-DOS. He didn't write the code himself.

The term was coined by Fred Cohen in 1983 for his PhD thesis; Gates had no role in it.

He bought the Codex Leicester for $30.8 million in 1994, but it's only one notebook, not the largest collection.

He was pulled over for speeding and running a stop sign, then failed a sobriety test—a little-known youthful incident.

Since 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested over $50 billion in global health, exceeding the WHO's annual budget in many years.

Gates has an excellent memory but not a true photographic one. This exaggerated claim is a popular myth stemming from his early coding prowess.

Despite his wealth, Gates has been spotted flying coach on commercial flights, reflecting his frugal personal habits and focus on efficiency over luxury.

Gates uses private jets exclusively for security and efficiency. He even owns a custom Gulfstream G650ER, avoiding commercial flights for decades.

Gates bought the 72-page da Vinci notebook for $30.8 million in 1994 at auction. He keeps it in a vault and occasionally loans it to museums.

This is a fabricated quote. Gates has never said this. He remains proud of his software career and often speaks about the joy of coding.

False. Gates’ parents were supportive of his interest in computers. He started programming at age 13 on a school terminal, not a home internet ban.

True. In 2010, Gates and Warren Buffett launched The Giving Pledge, but Gates’ 2010 donation of $10 billion to his foundation was then a record single gift.

True. In 1972, Gates and Allen formed Traf-O-Data, a company that analyzed traffic tapes for city planners. It earned them about $20,000.

Through the Gates Foundation, he has invested millions in reinventing the toilet for developing countries, including waterless models.

Gates has no DUI record. He was arrested in 1977 for a traffic violation (running a red light) in Albuquerque, but not for DUI.

While the Gates Foundation is huge, the WHO's annual budget is roughly $6-8 billion, and the foundation's total health spending is less than that per year.

In 1977, Gates was arrested in Albuquerque for running a stop sign and driving without a license. The charge was later dismissed.

His famous Xanadu 2.0 home includes a trampoline room with a high ceiling, though it's for exercise, not actual zero-gravity.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has disbursed over $50 billion, exceeding WHO's roughly $6-8 billion yearly budget.

He was pulled over for running a stop sign and later jailed briefly when he couldn't pay the fine, confirmed by police records.