The capability of a software model or prompt sequence to break down a complex problem into sequential logical steps and solve each step in order before giving a final answer.

Paints a picture of a synthetic professor pacing thoughtfully in a study, stroking his chin while working through complex logical proofs step-by-step.

• Professor Pacing Metaphors: Framing sequential prompt execution as a thoughtful human professor solving logic puzzles.
• Cognitive Pretense: Pretending statistical text generation is equivalent to conscious human logical reasoning.
• Kitchen Reality Check: Like following a three-step recipe and calling it "multi-step culinary reasoning."

Good Will Hunting (1990s) scene where Will Hunting stands at the blackboard in the empty MIT hallway, systematically writing out multi-step mathematical proofs.

Software configured to break down a complex problem into sequential steps and solve each step in order.

“Our model leverages multi-step reasoning to evaluate complex tax calculations accurately.”

“We set up our search tool to analyze legal questions in three sequential steps before generating a final summary.”