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Can ChatGPT solve math problems? Yes, complex math is no issue

ChatGPT meets the math classroom

Updated: Apr 14, 2023 11:52 am
Can ChatGPT solve math problems? Yes, complex math is no issue

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ChatGPT can answer math questions as it has been trained on a diverse range of topics, including mathematics. It can assist with a wide range of math-related inquiries, such as algebra, calculus, geometry, and more. However, it may not always be able to solve complex mathematical problems or provide step-by-step solutions.

ChatGPT is not specifically designed for math-related queries and does not have the capability to give detailed explanations of mathematical concepts. But that doesn’t mean ChatGPT is completely useless in answering math questions. It can be a useful tool in helping students learn math, providing resources and practice questions, as well as explanations of concepts. For example, ChatGPT can offer example problems and hints to help students better understand a concept.

Chat GPT math problem solving explained

ChatGPT handles text inputs as tokens and employs word embeddings to depict words and sentences. With this in mind, how is it able to perform mathematical computations? For instance, We asked:

chatgpt maths 1

ChatGPT sees numbers as tokens and was trained on a dataset where 7s were often greater than 4s. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it lacks a true understanding of mathematics. It simply sees numbers as tokens. This is demonstrated by its ability to accurately respond to questions such as which number is greater.

chatgpt maths 2

It’s not accurate to say that ChatGPT has a clear understanding that the token 5.4432 is greater than the token 2.54666446433 based on its training data.

Testing ChatGPT with maths problems

We presented a mathematical problem to ChatGPT and it provided a correct response.

chatgpt maths 3

When we requested it to provide a detailed, step-by-step solution for the same problem, it provided an incorrect explanation.

chatgpt maths 4

As demonstrated in the first step of the screenshot, ChatGPT stated that addition of -4 and 5 result in 15, which is incorrect. We pointed out this error to ChatGPT and received this response.

chatgpt maths 5

We trained ChatGPT to provide the correct solution and were successful.

chatgpt maths 6

Based on the issue demonstrated, it appears that ChatGPT may not be reliable for solving more complex mathematical problems. While it may be capable of answering basic mathematical questions, it struggles with more advanced calculations and often produces incorrect answers.

Its reasoning process is often correct, but it tends to make mistakes in basic arithmetic and algebraic principles. ChatGPT may generate long explanations using mathematical terms, but it does not actually comprehend mathematics. It lacks an internal understanding of mathematical concepts, and sometimes makes simple calculation mistakes or presents biased explanations.

Will ChatGPT improve at maths?

These issues with ChatGPT’s performance in mathematics may be temporary and resolved in future updates, or they may persist for an extended period of time. That’s not all, according to OpenAI’s recent update of ChatGPT, ChatGPT is evolving and its accuracy and ability to handle math equations have improved. This is stated in the release notes from January 30. “We’ve upgraded the ChatGPT model with improved factuality and mathematical capabilities.”

It’s expected that this will result in ChatGPT being able to provide more precise answers to complex calculations, making it a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals. Although it still has room for improvement in handling equations, there have been noticeable improvements in its ability to provide factual responses.

can ChatGPT solve math problems?

Yes, ChatGPT is capable of solving both simple and complex math problems. ChatGPT can process mathematical expressions and equations, basic arithmetic operations, and calculus, differential equations, or trigonometry.

Can you use ChatGPT for math?

Yes, ChatGPT performs quite well at solving math problems and can be used to emulate a maths search engine.


As a Junior Staff Writer, Jack is involved in writing and maintaining a bunch of hardware guides & reviews. With an interest in PC gaming, he now focuses on writing about monitors, headsets, and more.

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