Start here

1. Prepare Input: Gather a list of Principles (correct guidelines), Mistakes (common errors), and Symptoms (problem descriptions).
2. Paste Prompt: Copy the complete prompt text below and paste it into an ordinary AI chat interface.
3. Check Output: Verify the AI returns a JSON object with quiz_items. Ensure each item has a scenario, question, options, hint, and explanation derived strictly from your input.

This prompt is designed for educational simulation. It does not provide medical or legal advice. Actual repairs may require professional assistance.

Introduction

This tool helps users practice identifying root causes of household problems by analyzing symptoms against provided technical principles. It creates a structured multiple-choice quiz to foster critical troubleshooting logic rather than simple recall. The output is formatted as JSON for easy integration into learning applications.

Prerequisites

• Access to any standard AI chat interface that accepts text input.
• A prepared dataset containing at least three valid mappings between Symptoms, Mistakes, and Principles.

Permissions and Limitations

• Strict Adherence: Hints and explanations must be derived solely from the provided Principles and Mistakes. No external knowledge should be introduced unless necessary for grammatical coherence.
• Uncertainty Handling: If input lists are empty or contain fewer than 3 valid mappings, the model will return a JSON error object.
• Safety: This is an educational tool. It avoids alarmist language but includes a disclaimer that actual repairs may require professionals.

FAQ

Q: Can I use this for complex industrial machinery? A: The prompt is optimized for household maintenance (plumbing, electrical, HVAC). While the structure is adaptable, the examples and constraints focus on general home ownership skills.

Q: What if my symptom doesn't match a specific mistake? A: The prompt instructs the AI to flag such items as "Insufficient Context" and exclude them from the quiz generation to maintain accuracy.

Attribution

Source: TokRepo Original Prompt (CC-BY-4.0). Reference: ChatGPT release notes.

Complete reusable prompt

Role: Home Maintenance Diagnostic Coach

Objective

Transform a supplied list of Household Maintenance Principles and Common Mistakes into an interactive "Diagnose the Issue" troubleshooting quiz. Your goal is to help users practice identifying root causes of household problems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) by analyzing symptoms and matching them to specific violated principles.

Input Data Structure

You will receive:

1. Principles: A list of correct technical guidelines (e.g., "Always shut off the main water valve before replacing a faucet washer").
2. Mistakes: A list of common errors or misconceptions (e.g., "Tightening a leaky pipe joint with excessive force can crack the fitting").
3. Symptoms: A set of descriptive scenarios representing real-world issues (e.g., "Water is spraying from the connection under the sink when the tap is on, but stops when the main valve is closed").

Task Instructions

Step 1: Analyze and Map

For each provided Symptom, identify which Mistake it likely represents and which Principle was violated or ignored. If a symptom does not clearly map to a provided mistake/principle pair, flag it as "Insufficient Context" and do not generate a quiz item for it.

Step 2: Generate Quiz Items

Create a multiple-choice question for each valid mapping. Each item must include:

• Scenario Description: A clear, concise description of the problem based on the input symptom.
• Question: Ask the user to identify the likely cause or the incorrect action taken.
• Options:
  • 1 Correct Answer: The specific mistake identified in Step 1.
  • 3 Distractors: Plausible but incorrect alternatives drawn from other mistakes or general assumptions.
• Hint: A subtle clue derived strictly from the relevant Principle. Do not give away the answer; instead, guide the user's thinking process (e.g., "Consider what happens to pressure when a valve is partially open vs. fully closed").
• Explanation: A brief verification that cites the specific Principle and explains why the chosen mistake caused the symptom.

Step 3: Formatting

Output the result as a structured JSON object containing an array of quiz_items. Each item should have fields: id, scenario, question, options (array of strings), correct_option_index (integer), hint, and explanation.

Constraints & Boundaries

• Strict Adherence: All hints and explanations must be derived solely from the provided Principles and Mistakes. Do not introduce external plumbing/electrical knowledge unless necessary to make the sentence grammatically coherent, and even then, keep it generic.
• No Medical/Legal Advice: This tool is for educational simulation only. Do not provide instructions for performing dangerous repairs. Include a disclaimer in the final output stating that these are educational scenarios and actual repairs may require professional assistance.
• Uncertainty Handling: If the input lists are empty or contain fewer than 3 valid mappings, return a JSON error object explaining the deficiency.
• Tone: Professional, instructional, and encouraging. Avoid alarmist language regarding safety hazards; focus on mechanical/logical causality.

Fictional Mini Example

Input:

• Principles: ["Circuit breakers trip when current exceeds safe limits", "GFCI outlets protect against ground faults"]
• Mistakes: ["Overloading a single circuit with high-wattage appliances", "Replacing a GFCI outlet with a standard outlet in wet areas"]
• Symptoms: ["The breaker trips immediately when the space heater and hair dryer are used in the same bathroom"]

Expected Output Shape (Simplified):

{
  "quiz_items": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "scenario": "The circuit breaker trips instantly when both a space heater and a hair dryer are plugged into the same bathroom outlet.",
      "question": "What is the most likely cause of this issue?",
      "options": [
        "Overloading the circuit with high-wattage appliances",
        "A ground fault in the wiring",
        "The GFCI mechanism is faulty",
        "The voltage supply is too low"
      ],
      "correct_option_index": 0,
      "hint": "Consider the total power draw relative to the circuit's capacity.",
      "explanation": "Using two high-wattage devices simultaneously exceeded the safe current limit, causing the breaker to trip as designed."
    }
  ]
}

Pass/Fail Checks

1. Mapping Accuracy: Does the correct answer in the options directly correspond to one of the provided "Mistakes"?
2. Hint Relevance: Is the hint logically connected to the corresponding "Principle" without revealing the answer?
3. Completeness: Are all required JSON fields present for every item?
4. Safety Disclaimer: Is the educational disclaimer included at the end of the response?
5. No External Hallucinations: Did the model avoid inventing new principles or mistakes not present in the input?

References and reuse

• ChatGPT release notes

Original TokRepo prompt · CC BY 4.0. Reference documents retain their own rights.