Testing the cognitive abilities of openAI's chatGPT v3.5
So there is a discussion going around on chatGPT and the various other AI systems' ability to solve the man, boat, goat and cabbage puzzle. Or one of the many variants floating around. Hilarity ensues. But what if we pose the cognitive reflection test? There are questions on the limitations of the test, but it does have some use for first time encounters. But what if we throw it at AI? And change it slightly, to see the results?
So I posed the following question to openAI's chatGPT v3.5:
A bat and a ball cost $1.20 in total. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?
Conclusion: In tech bro world, nothing is free. The results are pasted below. I did stop generation, as I did not want it to go into a full meltdown loop... Maybe I should have...?
----start of results---
Let's denote the cost of the ball as \( x \) dollars. According to the given information, the bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, so the cost of the bat is \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
Now, we know that the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
Solving this equation:
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
This means that the cost of the ball is $0. However, this doesn't make sense in the context of the problem. Let's reassess.
We made a mistake in setting up the equation. The cost of the bat is $1.20 more than the cost of the ball, not the other way around. Therefore, the correct equation should be:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, again, this doesn't make sense in the context of the problem. Let's reassess once more.
The issue here is that we're interpreting the problem incorrectly. Let's denote the cost of the ball as \( x \) dollars. Since the bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
Now, according to the problem, the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
This again yields \( x = 0 \), which doesn't make sense. Let's reassess the problem one last time.
It seems we've made a mistake in setting up the equation. Since the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20, we should have:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
This yields \( x = 0 \) again. However, it's clear that the cost of the ball cannot be $0.
Let's reassess the problem one last time.
The issue here is that we're interpreting the problem incorrectly. Let's denote the cost of the ball as \( x \) dollars. Since the bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
Now, according to the problem, the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
This again yields \( x = 0 \), which doesn't make sense. Let's reassess the problem one last time.
It seems we've made a mistake in setting up the equation. Since the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20, we should have:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
This yields \( x = 0 \) again. However, it's clear that the cost of the ball cannot be $0.
The correct approach is to set up the equation correctly from the beginning:
Let \( x \) be the cost of the ball in dollars. Then, the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
According to the problem, the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
Simplifying:
\[ 2x + 1.
20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
Now, while mathematically correct, it doesn't make sense for the cost of the ball to be $0. This indicates that there's an error in our setup or interpretation of the problem.
Let's reevaluate the problem:
The cost of the bat and the ball together is $1.20. If we denote the cost of the ball as \( x \) dollars, then the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
We have the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
Solving this equation:
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
Let \( x \) be the cost of the ball in dollars. Then, the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
According to the problem, the total cost of the bat and the ball is $1.20. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
Simplifying:
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
Now, while mathematically correct, it doesn't make sense for the cost of the ball to be $0. This indicates that there's an error in our setup or interpretation of the problem.
Let's reevaluate the problem:
The cost of the bat and the ball together is $1.20. If we denote the cost of the ball as \( x \) dollars, then the cost of the bat would be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars.
We have the equation:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
Solving this equation:
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem.
Upon careful consideration, we realize that we made an error in setting up the equation. The bat costs $1.20 more than the ball, which means the cost of the bat should be \( x + 1.20 \) dollars, not \( x - 1.20 \) dollars.
Let's correct this and set up the equation again:
\[ x + (x + 1.20) = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x + 1.20 = 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 1.20 - 1.20 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]
However, this doesn't seem correct. Let's reassess the problem
---end of result---
At this point, there still was a button tempting - continue generating - but I kept the finger of the clicker.
Header image prompt on Meta's WhatsApp AI: Generate an image of a thinking brain.