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The Journal of Information and Optimization Sciences (JIOS) is a world leading journal publishing high quality, rigorously peer-reviewed original research in all mathematically-oriented theoretical and applied topics in information sciences, optimization sciences and related areas since 1980. Subjects include but are not limited to: • Information Sciences • Optimization Sciences • Control Theory • Operational Research • Decision Sciences • Information Theory • Information Technology • Computer Networks and Communications • Mathematical Programming • Modelling and Simulation • Database Management • Applications to Engineering Sciences • Applications to Technology

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Open Access Research Article

ExEqGen : An external symbolic solver for mathematical word problem solving

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pp. 1359–1377Vol. 45Issue 5July 2024DOI: 10.47974/JIOS-1709XML
Received:
10 Apr 2024
Published Online:
29 Jul 2024
Article type:
Research Article
Language:
EN
Article no.:
JIOS-1709
Pages:
1359–1377

Abstract

Mathematical word problem (MWP) solving is a complex domain that is characterized by a wide range of complex problems, ranging from rule-based systems to pre-trained language models. In this context, we introduce the External Equation Generator (ExEqGen), a novel model that combines SymPY, a sophisticated Python equation generator, with the state-of-the-art RoBERTa language model. Our approach leverages external symbolic solvers for expression generation and mathematical computations, demonstrating enhanced accuracy in solving math word problems. The study also demonstrates the positive impact of external symbols on improving numerical reasoning performance, particularly in mitigating false positives associated with longer reasoning programs. The findings provide valuable insights into enhancing the performance of Natural Language Understanding Models in complex tasks, contributing to the ongoing quest for more accurate, interpretable, and applicable natural language understanding models.

Keywords

Subject Classifications

Primary 00A05Secondary 97P40

References

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