Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions
A free Logic lesson from the “Logic Applications and Final Review” unit, with a worked example and practice problems including step-by-step solutions.
Clear instructions often have logical structure. Conditions, constraints, examples, and non-examples help a human or AI system know what counts as success. Learning objective: Write precise if-then and constraint-based instructions. Prerequisite: No formal prerequisite. Work in this lesson starts with ordinary language, then connects the idea to symbols only after the meaning is clear. Example 1: An algebra rule may apply only if a denominator is not zero. Example 2: A program condition such as 'if score >= 70 and quiz submitted' uses logic to decide what happens next. A common misconception is to treat familiar wording as proof; instead, check exactly what the statement says and what follows from it.
What you'll learn
- Write precise if-then and constraint-based instructions
- Explain the idea in plain English before using symbols
- Use examples, non-examples, or counterexamples to check the reasoning
Worked example
Problem. Example case A (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Worked example: Which instruction is most precise for a human, algorithm, or AI system?
- Clear instructions state a condition and an action.
- The if-then form is testable.
- The other choices are too vague to check.
Answer: If the answer uses units, include the unit in the final sentence.
Practice problems
1. Practice case A (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Practice: Which instruction is most precise for a human, algorithm, or AI system?
Choices: If the answer uses units, include the unit in the final sentence. · Make it good. · Do the thing. · Use common sense somehow.
Show solution
- Clear instructions state a condition and an action.
- The if-then form is testable.
- The other choices are too vague to check.
Answer: If the answer uses units, include the unit in the final sentence.
2. Practice case B (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Practice: Which instruction is most checkable (you can verify it was followed)?
Choices: List exactly three examples, each on its own line. · Give a few examples, nicely formatted. · Explain it well. · Be thorough.
Show solution
- A checkable instruction has a measurable condition.
- 'Exactly three, one per line' can be verified.
- The others are subjective.
Answer: List exactly three examples, each on its own line.
3. Practice case C (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Practice: A user wants every section summarized. Which instruction matches that all-constraint?
Choices: Summarize each section of the document. · Summarize a section of the document. · Summarize some sections if you like. · Summarize the document somehow.
Show solution
- 'Every section' is a universal requirement.
- 'Each section' covers all of them.
- 'A section' or 'some' would miss the all-constraint.
Answer: Summarize each section of the document.
4. Practice case D (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Practice: Which instruction is structured as a clear if-then rule?
Choices: If the input is empty, return an error message. · Handle empty inputs nicely. · Empty inputs are bad. · Avoid problems with inputs.
Show solution
- An if-then rule names a condition and an action.
- 'If empty, return an error' is testable.
- The others lack a clear condition or action.
Answer: If the input is empty, return an error message.
5. Practice case E (Logic in AI Prompts and Clear Instructions): Practice: "Summarize the report or list its key points" is ambiguous because:
Choices: it does not say whether to do one task or either task. · it has too many numbers. · it is too short to read. · it uses the word report.
Show solution
- The 'or' leaves the choice unclear.
- A clearer prompt picks one task or allows both explicitly.
- Ambiguity makes success hard to check.
Answer: it does not say whether to do one task or either task.
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