My early encounter with the computerized Large Language Model (LLM) occurred when helping students answer “individualized” math tutorial questions. Junior high students had to complete lessons on the computer containing math problems for Algebra. If they did not get enough of the word problems correct on the first round they would receive newly written ones that had not yet been vetted by humans.
As a struggling student attempted to answer one of these additional questions, she called out, “Ms. Listman, how do I know if I should round up or down?”
She had tried both ways, but neither was accepted as the correct one. According to this computerized math program the proper answer was to sell 2.5 beagle puppies. Honestly, no child wants half of a puppy. But, the LLM didn’t consider it wrong to divide a cute baby beagle.
Current attempts to help LLM imitate human creativity are often not much more successful. So why are they still in demand? The act of creating requires more concentration than daily chores. Authors of math word problems, as well as other writers are suffering from burnout in an attempt to keep up with the demands for new content. Creating provides a kind of euphoric boost which is its own reward. This is the “flow” state of creativity, as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. If people try to stay in Csikszentmihalyi’s “flow” for too long, they neglect things like eating and sleeping which are not healthy things to do. In the past some used drugs to maintain the energy of flow. But have you ever considered the reasons that a number of lyricists and musicians in the rock music world died young?
Now, people are encouraged to take a pressure relieving short cut and let AI do some of this “creative” work for them. In writing this means the LLM performs world building, suggests alternate plots and provides sketches for characters. Burnout is no longer as much of a threat. But, the end result is not as satisfying for the creator or the reader. Now the threat is becoming entangled in a blasé world of products filled with similar ideas repeated in different forms .
A crucial part of writing is to create difficult problems for characters who must figure out how to overcome them.
People who consume these books, movies or computer-based “individualized” algebra programs become aware of the lack of original work. Some begin to expect less unique content. A crucial part of writing is to create difficult problems for characters who must figure out how to overcome them.
In the instance of my encounter with the LLM-created word problems for Algebra I, the student needed to explain that ditching the computer-based tutorials was the best option. That would prevent the sacrifice of a puppy in order to receive the credit for an answer that didn’t require dividing a puppy in half.











