Everyday AI · Module 4

Check the numbers and the date meaning

Suggested time: 8 minutes.

For arithmetic, use a calculator yourself. Asking the assistant to repeat a total is not an independent calculation check.

Before pressing any buttons, identify:

• The quantity and what it counts
• The unit, such as packs, cards, pages, sheets, minutes or pounds
• The price or conversion per unit
• Any stated conditions, such as extra charges, one-sided printing or an estimate

A correct calculation using the wrong inputs still produces the wrong answer for the task.

Snapshot L3 Quantity and cost

Complete fictional source:

• L3-A, supply note: There are four boxes. Each box contains 15 pencils.
• L3-B, approved printing note: Print 20 single-page handouts at £0.15 per printed page. The stated price includes all charges for this exercise.

Illustrative weak answer:

“We have 45 pencils and printing costs £30.”

Check the inputs and then calculate:

• Four boxes multiplied by 15 pencils per box gives 60 pencils.
• Twenty printed pages multiplied by £0.15 per page gives £3.00.

Both original totals are contradicted. Record the inputs, calculation and unit so another person can reproduce your check. The calculator confirms the arithmetic; the source confirms which inputs to use.

Better answer:

“The supply note lists 60 pencils. The approved printing total is £3.00. [L3-A, L3-B; calculations checked]”

Pages and sheets are different quantities

Suppose a separate note requests 12 two-page handouts. That is 24 printed pages. With one-sided printing, it requires 24 sheets. With both sides used and the layout fitting as stated, it can use 12 sheets. Do not substitute sheets for printed pages when the price is charged per page.

Likewise, 15 pence per page is £0.15 per page, not £15. Write the currency and unit beside your total. If the source gives no currency or does not say whether a charge is included, record that limit rather than silently supplying it.

Dates can be ambiguous even when they look precise

A record reading “04/05/2025” could mean 4 May or April 5, depending on the date convention. The sequence alone does not settle it. A nearby currency symbol, your own location or your preferred format does not establish which convention the author used.

Keep the original string in your audit, mark the interpretation unresolved and ask for the month to be written out. After clarification, “4 May 2025” is easier to inspect across date conventions. An exact time also needs a time zone when the task involves people in different zones; do not invent one if it affects the meaning.

Pause: A source says 18 two-page handouts, printed one-sided, at £0.10 per printed page. What quantity should go into the calculator?