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Sort summer camp signups by deadline for two kids
Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You're signing your two kids up for summer camps and want every deadline on one list. You want exactly 5 numbered lines sorted by date, each as date - camp - what to do, under 60 words, plain text. Use the early-bird dates where they save money, leave out the camp that's full, and use the camp's extended deadline. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Using the regular deadline. The AI picks Apr 1 for Lakeside and you miss the discount. Try: Add: "Use the early-bird date where it saves money."
- Missing the extension. Mar 1 is in the list; the extension is in an email. Try: Add: "Sunny Days extended to Mar 22."
- Including the full camp. Starlight is in your notes, so the AI keeps it. Try: Add: "Leave out Starlight, it's full and we're waitlisted."
- Letting the AI pick the layout. The AI makes a table by kid. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 5 numbered lines sorted by date. Plain text."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 60 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 8 words."
What a strong prompt includes
- Says how many lines
- Uses early-bird dates
- Uses the extension
- Drops the full camp
- Sorts by date
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