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Work out how much the class trip fund still needs

Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

The senior class trip needs $6,000. The car wash money was split 50/50 with the soccer team (not in the sheet), and spirit wear counts only profit after costs. Write exactly 4 numbered lines, one per fundraiser, each showing what the class actually keeps, then one unnumbered last line: Raised: $X of $6,000, need $Y. Plain text, under 70 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not mentioning the split. The sheet doesn't show it, so the AI counts all $800 from the car wash. Try: Add: "Car wash was split 50/50 with soccer."
  • Counting sales as profit. The AI adds the full $2,100 from spirit wear. Try: Add: "Spirit wear counts only profit after printing."
  • Not asking to see the work. The class officers will want each number. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Car wash: $800 ÷ 2 = $400"
  • 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 line: "each line under 12 words."
  • Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a class officers' group chat. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Mentions the split
  • Counts profit only
  • Asks to show the math
  • Sets a word limit
  • Asks for plain text

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