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Can you help me understand the question (and context)?

Life the "machine" is a calculator, and I want to ask 5+5, but I put in the "wrong figures" e.g. (4+4), is the "right answer" 8 or 10? Is the right answer the answer you want to the question you want to ask, or the answer to the question you actually asked?




Imagine it’s not a computer, it’s a piece of paper. And the paper is a bit dirty and you can’t quite tell if it’s a 4 or a 5. You guess it’s 4, but the print-out says 5. Do you pass the exam?

Imagine you ask your friend “hey, what’s twenty divided by five?”, and they say “four” and then you realise you misspoke and meant to say “what’s twenty divided by four?” Is your friend wrong?

Of course not, in both cases.




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