[BlindMath] Experiment.

Sat Jun 13 11:37:02 UTC 2026

Yes, and I'll be checking into that.  I have had some luck telling Chat GPT that I want this certain thing explained and described, but I do not want the whole answer given to me.  I've also found that if I say I want worked examples, it does well at that.  Of course, what I can do is take the initial problem in the worked example, go off on my own and see what I can do with it, then come back and see what the worked solution is.  

Ray. 

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Michael Whapples via BlindMath
Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2026 5:10 AM
To: Ray McAllister via BlindMath <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Michael Whapples <mwhapples at aim.com>
Subject: Re: [BlindMath] Experiment.

One thing to be careful of, if education and actually understanding is the goal make sure the stuff produced as an alternative does not actually do the work of interpreting and understanding for you.

To give an example I had some time ago. Whilst doing my post graduate diploma in computing, I remember a test question on a design diagram (may have been UML, may have been some other for database design). The question asked what was the relationship between two elements of the system. The diagram descriptions I had been provided as a blind person contained statements like "There is a one to many relationship between..." essentially providing the answer without me needing to do interpretation. This was before AI was being rammed into everything, so I expect these descriptions were human generated. However the point still is relevant, the descriptions had been generated without regard to the context of what I was meant to be learning and what was to be tested. AI is particularly bad at picking up on wider context unless it is explicitly pointed out.

Michael Whapples

On 13/06/2026 00:03, Ray McAllister via BlindMath wrote:
> Okay, here's an experiment I'd like to do.  I'd like to take a subject 
> in higher math that really there isn't an easy text book in accessible 
> format for online.  I believe analytic geometry might be an example.  
> Then, see if I can get Chat GPT or some chat bot to write a course in that field for me.
> I already know that Chat GPT does a very good job with Pretext Mathjax 
> work, and, I can explain that I'm blind, and I get a diagram-free, 
> well-described situation.  I would be good for this task since I'm 
> studying higher math, simply for fun, so there's no risk.  If it 
> doesn't work, I'm not in danger of failing a class or something.
>
> What I would do, as I have contacts in a local university's math department:
> I'd probably get a copy of their syllabus for the class, and, maybe a 
> review sheet for the exams, and then submit those to Chat GPT.  Then, 
> we'd do lesson by lesson, and I already have experience with this with 
> Chat GPT.  I had it develop a short lesson, with worked examples, on 
> Ferrari's Quartic Equations method, and I was able to understand it 
> well enough to code a computer program to solve quartic equations that 
> way.  I do catch mistakes now and then, and that's part of the 
> process.  But my end result would be to see if I could do this, and then take a real exam, and see how I'd do.
>
> Now, if this actually can prove successful, I'm not sure where to go.
> Obviously, one couldn't just completely replace a course's text books 
> with AI, for the blind, but there is the idea that universities and 
> colleges do have "independent study" options, and if there are a 
> couple subjects that just aren't workable there, maybe a blind person 
> could do this for independent study credit as a work-around.  
> Sometimes the experiment comes before the complete vision of how to make it practical.
>
>   
>
> What do you think of such an experiment?  There's no cost, no risk.  
> That I know.
>
>   
>
> I've also done well having Chat GPT describe mathematical diagrams for 
> me, so I think I could do this.
>
>   
>
> I wonder what subjects would be best.  I'm thinking Analytical 
> Geometry, though a real challenge might be topology.
>
>   
>
> Anyway, just throwing this out for thought.  I'm currently doing 
> Abstract Algebra and Complex Analysis online, and I often have to get 
> tutoring with Chat GPT on abstract algebra, but I am understanding it.
>
>   
>
> But it will be a few months before I finish one of the books and set 
> up to start something new.
>
>   
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray.
>
>   
>
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