About this exercise
You need the per-student cost for the science museum trip permission slip. At last night's meeting the PTA committed $300 toward the bus (not in your notes). 50 students are going. Write exactly 3 numbered lines (bus share, admission, per student), each with the math, then one unnumbered last line with what the school fund pays for 4 fee waivers. Plain text, under 60 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not mentioning the PTA gift. The AI splits the full $650 and charges families $21. Try: Add: "PTA pays $300 of the bus."
- Not asking to see the work. Families and the office will ask how you got the number. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Bus: ($650 − $300) ÷ 50 = $7"
- Forgetting the waivers. The AI doesn't tell you what to request from the school fund. Try: Add: "Last line: waiver cost for 4 students."
- 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 permission slip. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Mentions the PTA gift
- Gives the student count
- Asks to show the math
- Asks about waivers
- Asks for plain text
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