Total up a bake sale tally and show the math

About this exercise

You're junior class treasurer and need to post bake sale sales in the officers' group chat. Write exactly 3 numbered lines, one per item, each showing the math (daily counts added up, then units x price = dollars), then one unnumbered last line: Total sales: $X. Apply the notes on the tally sheet, keep the donation out of sales, plain text, under 70 words, nothing else.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Ignoring the notes. The AI adds the table as-is, so the free cookies and dropped cupcakes get counted as sales. Try: Add: "Apply the notes first: remove the 12 free cookies and use 6 cupcakes for Thursday."
• Not asking to see the work. The AI gives bare totals, so you can't spot a wrong sum before you post it. Try: Add: "On each line show the daily counts added up, then units x price = dollars."
• Mixing in the donation. The AI sees $20 in the cash box and folds it into sales. Try: Add: "Keep the $20 donation out of the sales total."
• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part: "Each line under 18 words, nothing before or after."
• Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a group chat. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."

What a strong prompt includes

• Applies the notes
• Says how many lines
• Asks to show the math
• Sets a word limit
• Asks for plain text

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