make-qa-notes

name

make-qa-notes

description

Create polished standalone LaTeX question-and-answer note documents from textbook exercises, exam questions, review prompts, operating-system or computer-science questions, math problems, code questions, calculation problems, or rough Q&A material. Use when the user asks for Q&A notes, solved questions, numbered question-answer boxes, exercise solutions, practice notes, answer keys with explanations, or LaTeX documents that pair each question with a clear answer.

Make Q&A Notes

Output Contract

Produce a complete compilable .tex document unless the user asks for selected answers, a snippet, or edits to an existing file. Each question must appear in a numbered question box, followed immediately by the matching answer box. Answers should be direct, correct, and explanatory enough for exam review.

Core Workflow

1. Identify the source questions and preserve their order. If the user gives paragraphs that contain multiple questions, split them into separate question-answer pairs.
2. If editing an existing .tex file, read it first and preserve the existing question numbering and style.
3. For a new document in this workspace, use python scripts\new-note.py --subject "<subject>" --topic "<topic>" --type qa when the subject and topic are known, then fill the generated .tex file. If drafting manually, start from templates/qa-note.tex and keep \input{styles/notes-style.tex}.
4. Read references/qa-answer-patterns.md when answers include calculations, code, operating-system concepts, comparisons, safety-sensitive experiments, or ambiguity.
5. For each question, write the question text first in qaquestion, then write the answer in qaanswer.
6. Verify numbering, LaTeX syntax, code listings, tables, and calculations before finishing.

Project Folder Convention

Create notes as Subject/<Topic>/<Topic>.tex and put shared images, TikZ snippets, and reusable .tex fragments in Subject/assets/. In note files, reference shared assets as assets/name.png, assets/name.jpg, assets/name.jpeg, assets/name.tikz, or assets/name.tex. The project compiler adds both the subject folder and project root to the LaTeX search path, so assets/... and styles/notes-style.tex resolve correctly.

Answer Rules

• Start with the direct answer, then explain why.
• Preserve the question's meaning and wording. Correct only clear typos or formatting problems.
• State assumptions when the answer depends on units, hardware behavior, indexing, scheduling, API semantics, or textbook convention.
• For calculations, show the formula, substitution, simplification, units, and boxed final answer.
• For "difference between" questions, define both terms first and then state the essential contrast.
• For "give examples" questions, use a table when there are multiple categories.
• For code questions, use lstlisting and explain the output or behavior after the code.
• For unsafe experiments, include a warningbox and provide a bounded or safer version.
• Do not add unrelated textbook background that does not help answer the question.

Box and Formatting Rules

• Use only qaquestion for questions so numbering increments correctly.
• Use only qaanswer for answers so the answer number matches the current question.
• Use pointbox for compact notes, classifications, or "key idea" inserts.
• Use warningbox for caveats, inconsistent problem statements, unsafe actions, or important assumptions.
• Use \term{...} for important vocabulary.
• Use tabularx and booktabs for comparison or classification tables.
• Use displayed equations and \boxed{...} for final results.
• Use \texttt{...} for inline code, file descriptors, commands, APIs, and constants.

LaTeX Rules

• Keep generated files compile-ready: escape #, %, &, _, and literal backslashes outside code/listings.
• Do not use Markdown syntax inside .tex files.
• Avoid putting long prose inside math mode.
• Keep every qaquestion immediately followed by its corresponding qaanswer.
• Do not manually type "Question 1" or "Answer 1" in the body; the environments handle numbering.

Validation Checklist

Before finishing a Q&A note file:

• Count question-answer pairs and confirm every question has an answer.
• Confirm no answer is attached to the wrong question number.
• Confirm tables have the right number of columns per row.
• Confirm lstlisting blocks are closed and not placed inside math mode.
• Check arithmetic, units, indexing, and final boxes.
• In this project, prefer python scripts\compile-latex.py --file path\to\note.tex --engine tectonic --clean for PDF compilation. If it cannot run because the local TeX installation is broken or unavailable, state that compilation was not run and include the script's diagnostic.