A text generation system for explaining concepts in geometry
Ruslan Mitkov · 1990
Introduction The project note presents the computer program GECO (GEometry COnsultor), which generates explanations (descriptions) of geometrical concepts in Bulgarian. Tile program replies to questior)s such as "What is X", "Compare X and Y", where X and Y are concepts in geometry. The idea to design GECO was initially inspired by [HcKeown,1985], which gives information on missiles However, unlike TEXT, our system is able to give two types of descriptions : detailed and brief. For instance, if we ask "What is a triangle", GECO 9ives a detailed description, including definition, the characteristic and non- characteristic features of the triangle, but if we ask once again within a dialogue the same question, the program reminds us shortly the definition of the concept triangle. This is done by means of a special stack, which keeps a formalized dialogue history. As in normal human dialogue, the ystems replies to a repeated question in past tense (this is specific at least of Bulgarian).