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Compare driving and transit by monthly commute cost

  • For Office and admin
  • You practice Showing an example of what you want
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

Your office is moving downtown and you're deciding how to commute. For a 20-workday month, get exactly 3 numbered lines in plain text, under 70 words: 1. driving cost (gas plus parking) with the math; 2. transit cost with the math, using the new fare; 3. which costs less per month and by how much. No advice. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Using the old fare. The AI uses $95 and misses the notice that it rises on your first day. Try: Add: "Use the new $110 pass price."
  • No math shown. The AI gives totals with no working, so you can't check them. Try: Show it: "1. Driving: 600 miles / 30 mpg = 20 gal x $3.50 = $70 + $120 parking = $190".
  • Getting advice. The AI weighs pros and cons and nudges you toward one option. Try: Add: "The last line only says which costs less and by how much. No advice."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part: "each line under 20 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Uses the new fare
  • Counts gas and parking
  • Shows the math
  • Sets the number of lines
  • Sets a word limit

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