EXD.1:4.2 - Locate usable preparation at the needed grain

Use what the recipient has already supplied: a question, attempted calculation, annotation, example, objection or description of intended use. If the next contribution depends on a particular prerequisite and that prerequisite is uncertain, ask for a small relevant inference. “What total does a group of six with mean eight contribute?” tests the needed relation more directly than asking whether the person knows statistics.

Treat the response as evidence about this task under its conditions. If you supply the multiplication step before the person answers, their later answer is assisted. Preserve that distinction when it matters to choosing help or judging independent use. A recipient asking for advice may need only a premise explained; an instructional diagnosis is then unnecessary.

When interaction is unavailable, prepare from the known audience and task. State assumptions that change the answer, expose the relevant alternatives in the text and provide a usable return. A reader can select an explicit branch without first completing a questionnaire.