{"id":"study-binary-light-switch-explain","audience":"high-school","category":"explaining","technique":"audience","track":"study","title":"Get binary numbers explained with light switches","free":false,"task":"In your Intro to Computer Science elective (no coding yet), you don't get how computers count in binary. Get exactly 3 numbered sentences using only Ms. Rao's light switch analogy (what on and off mean, what each switch is worth, how 5 is shown), then one line starting 'Check:' with a question to test yourself, under 80 words, plain text. Use the corrected switch values from her note.","materialLabel":"Your class notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"INTRO TO CS (elective, no programming yet) - Ms. Rao - How computers store numbers\n\nBINARY = counting with only 0 and 1.\n\nMS. RAO'S LIGHT SWITCH ANALOGY:\n- Picture a row of light switches. Each switch is either OFF (0) or ON (1).\n- Each switch is worth a different amount. Reading from RIGHT to LEFT, my notes say: 1, 2, 3, 4.\n   ** Ms. Rao's note on my worksheet: \"No! Each switch is worth DOUBLE the one to its right: 1, 2, 4, 8.\" **\n- To show a number, turn on the switches that add up to it.\n- Example from class: to show 5, turn on the 4 switch and the 1 switch: 0101.\n\nUnit question: \"In plain words, how does a computer show the number 5 using only 0s and 1s?\"\n\nWords we haven't learned: bit, byte, base-2, place value notation (she said \"next week\").\n\nQuiz Friday. Bring your switch worksheet.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"maxWords","max":80},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking the general question","why":"The AI explains binary with place-value tables and terms you haven't learned.","fix":"Say: \"Use only the light switch analogy from my notes.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Not saying how many sentences","why":"The AI picks its own number, and it usually picks more sentences than you need.","fix":"Be exact: \"Exactly 3 numbered sentences.\"","checks":["numberedItems"]},{"title":"Missing the correction","why":"Your notes have the wrong switch values next to the fix.","fix":"Add: \"Each switch is worth double: 1, 2, 4, 8.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"No way to test yourself","why":"The AI explains and stops, so you never check whether it stuck.","fix":"Add: \"End with one line starting 'Check:' with a question, no answer.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over.","fix":"Cap each sentence: \"each under 18 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Forgetting where it will be read","why":"AI formats for a screen, with bold and headings that show up as stray symbols in your notes.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Names the analogy","patterns":["light switch","switch"]},{"label":"Says how many sentences","patterns":["\\b(3|three)\\b.{0,25}sentence"]},{"label":"Uses the correction","patterns":["1, 2, 4, 8","double","correct"]},{"label":"Asks for a check question","patterns":["check:","check question","test (me|myself)","quiz me"]},{"label":"Bans new words","patterns":["bit","byte","base.?2","no (jargon|terms)"]}],"hint":"Point the AI to your teacher's analogy, give it the three ideas to cover, flag the correction, and ask for a question to test yourself.","rubricLabels":["Uses only the light switch analogy: off is 0 and on is 1, each switch is worth double the one to its right (1, 2, 4, 8), and 5 is shown by turning on the 4 and 1 switches (0101)","Does not use the old values (1, 2, 3, 4), and uses none of the words bit, byte or base-2","Ends with one line starting 'Check:' that asks a question about the switches, and does not answer it"]}