> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://primer.ought.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://primer.ought.org/chapters/amplification/asking-subquestions.md).

# Asking subquestions

Let’s start by making a recipe that returns subquestions given a question:

{% code title="subquestions.py" %}

```python
from fvalues import F

from ice.recipe import recipe


def make_subquestion_prompt(question: str) -> str:
    return F(
        f"""Decompose the following question into 2-5 subquestions that would help you answer the question. Make the questions stand alone, so that they can be answered without the context of the original question.

Question: "{question}"
Subquestions:
-"""
    ).strip()


async def ask_subquestions(
    question: str = "What is the effect of creatine on cognition?",
):
    prompt = make_subquestion_prompt(question)
    subquestions_text = await recipe.agent().complete(prompt=prompt)
    subquestions = [line.strip("- ") for line in subquestions_text.split("\n")]
    return subquestions


recipe.main(ask_subquestions)
```

{% endcode %}

If we run this we get:

```python
[
    'What is creatine?',
    'What is cognition?',
    'How does creatine affect cognition?',
    'What are the benefits of creatine on cognition?',
    'What are the side effects of creatine on cognition?'
]
```

The trace:

<figure><img src="/files/7Ybx7jSRvzS0cRFBT94Y" alt=""><figcaption><p>Execution trace (<a href="https://ice.ought.org/traces/01GE0VXVNP2G2CDE7JKJ1GP8CC">view online</a>)</p></figcaption></figure>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://primer.ought.org/chapters/amplification/asking-subquestions.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.