Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, devices, and the like for classifying or indexing websites using an efficient multistage statistical indexing scheme. In one embodiment, a system is introduced that includes a plurality of models for classification. The classification and indexing may be obtained using at least two models designed to retrieve information from a website visited for marketing and assessing a user. In one embodiment, a first model, content-based features are used for the classification and in making predictions of the unlabeled observations. In another embodiment, a second model includes embedded technology-based features for further classification.

Abstract: In a cloud computing environment associated with an enterprise comprising one or more cloud platforms with one or more respective data protection ecosystems, a method maintains a distributed ledger system with a plurality of nodes, wherein a given one of the data protection ecosystems is operatively coupled to a given one of the plurality of nodes of the distributed ledger system. Further, the method manages one or more data sets processed by the one or more data protection ecosystems in association with the distributed ledger system, wherein managing comprises storing transaction data associated with the processing of the one or more data sets on the distributed ledger system to enable an environment-wide view of the stored transaction data.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to identity or trustworthiness verification for online users. More specifically, the present invention is a method of identity verification for online users combined with methodologies for evaluating or demonstrating trustworthiness. The present invention may integrate data values from social media, e-commerce, or other sources, which is obtained online into a single accessible report along with information obtained from the subscriber. An algorithm may then calculate these data values or subscriber information to determine its accuracy by comparing these data values with each other and with the subscriber information to generate a rating for the subscriber's trustworthiness with a numerical score referred to herein as a Trust Score or Trust Stamp.

Abstract: A interactive product recommendation method is provided, including: selecting a target product from the plurality of products; loading the product information of the target product; generating a product list according to the product characteristics corresponding to the target product and the user preferences corresponding to at least one user; generating a first label list based on at least one product characteristics corresponding to the target product and the user preferences corresponding to the user, where the first label list has a plurality of first labels corresponding to different product features; and displaying the product information, the product list and the first label list in a user interface. When clicking the icon, displaying another user interface corresponding to the clicked icon. When clicking the first label, updating the product list according to the clicked first label.

Abstract: When multiple explanatory variables are automatically created, a huge amount of output suggestions causes a heavy burden on selecting the suggestion. A marketing support system is configured to include a suggestion extraction unit that accepts purchase data and analyzes a correlation between the purchase data to output a composite variable, a restriction filtering unit that accepts the composite variable and a restriction table to exclude the composite variable based on a restriction condition defined in the restriction table, and a result filtering unit that uses a measure result defined in the past to estimate an anticipated effect when a measure based on the composite variable is performed, and selects a plurality of explanatory variables.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described which utilize improved scheduling techniques. An electronic scheduling platform enables customers to view and select pick-up options for scheduling orders to be retrieved at a location. Each pick-up option is associated with a price and a queue time. An average service time and an average inter-arrival time is determined for the location. A queuing procedure is executed which calculates queue times and prices for the pick-up options based, at least in part, on the average service time and the average inter-arrival time. The queuing procedure dynamically updates in real-time the calculated queue times and prices for the pick-up options. Instructions are generated for providing an interface that displays at least a portion of the pick-up options with the updated queue times and prices.

Abstract: Dynamic object customization is disclosed. A template associated with content to be published on behalf of one or more entities is obtained. The template includes at least one variable. For each entity in the one or more entities, a data store including information pertaining to the entity is queried based at least in part on the at least one variable included in the template. In response to the query, one or more data values corresponding to the at least one variable are obtained. An object is generated based at least in part on the template. The at least one variable is populated using the obtained one or more data values. The generated object is provided as output to be published on behalf of the entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing user-submitted updates based on user reliability scores. An update score is determined for an update submitted by a user based on a similarity of a field value provided by the update to corresponding field values in identified records. A user score is determined based on update scores, including the update score, determined for corresponding updates submitted by the user. The update is then processed based on the user score.

Abstract: A system and method for multidisciplinary team collaboration may include an algorithm for determining suitable relationships between the team members; a visualization interface for illustrating and managing members in separate groups according to their profiles, expertise, work output, and/or project roles; and the analysis of how members interact and use knowledge content. In the disclosed method, lived-work practices and/or knowledge content may be incorporated in the system to account for human behavior and expand upon existing documented work processes.

Abstract: The invention belongs to the technical field of the quantitative statistical distribution analysis of the features from characteristic images of microstructures and precipitated phases in metal materials, and relates to a quantitative statistical distribution characterization method of precipitate particles with the full field of view in a metal material. The method comprises the following steps of electrolytic corrosion of a metallic material specimen, automatic collection of characteristic images of microstructure, automatic stitching and fusion of the full-view-field microstructure images, automatic identification and segmentation of the precipitate particles and quantitative distribution characterization of the precipitate particles with the full field of view in a large-range scale.

Abstract: A collaborative recommender system which is based on an application of Formal Concept Analysis is disclosed. A problem with collaborative recommender systems based on Formal Concept Analysis is that the size of the concept lattices generated can be very large. Large lattices both take a great deal of time to generate, and tend to include extraneous concepts. In the collaborative recommender systems disclosed herein the size of the concept lattices used are only of a scale required to capture the tastes of an individual user. This reduces the computational resource required by the recommender system markedly. Further improvements are obtained in some embodiments by selecting only relevant concepts from the concept lattice before building a user profile from the selected concepts.

Abstract: An in-store monitoring device includes a memory storing instructions, and at least a processor reading the instructions to perform: acquiring an image in which one or more shoppers are captured; detecting, from the image, one or more shoppers present in a predetermined area; generating, for each of the shoppers, information on number of goods obtained by the shoppers; and calculating a sum of numbers of goods obtained by the detected shoppers.

Abstract: The present disclosure, relating to the technical field of communications, provides a management method for a home network device and a network management system. The method includes that: a home gateway acquires home terminal device information in a home network; the home gateway sends the home terminal device information to a home sub-cloud which corresponds to the home network and is independent from other home sub-clouds on a cloud management platform to store.

Abstract: An audio control system can automatically determine an occupancy of an audience seating area, and can automatically adjust a spectral content of an audio signal to at least partially compensate for spectral effects caused by the occupancy in the audience seating area. Such an audio control system can ensure that the sound in a particular room remains constant, or nearly constant, from performance to performance. The occupancy can include a number of people in attendance in the audience seating area, and/or locations of attendees in the audience seating area. The audio control system can automatically adjust the spectral content a single time, at the start of a performance, or can optionally automatically dynamically update the adjustment throughout the performance based on subsequent measurements of the occupancy. The system can determine the occupancy through ticket sales, and/or analysis of imaging of the seats in the audience seating area.

Abstract: A method identifies relevant data sources in a data visualization user interface. The process constructs an interaction matrix X whose rows correspond to users and whose columns correspond to data sources. Each entry measures the extent to which a user interacts with a data source according to user interactions with data visualizations generated from the data source. The method factors X into a product of a user matrix U times a source matrix ST using iterative refinement to minimize the least squares difference between X and U·ST. A user connects to a data server. The method computes affinity scores between the user and data sources. Each affinity score is a dot product of a row of U (a user) and a row of S (a data source). The method selects some data sources corresponding to high computed affinity scores and returns the selected data sources to the user.

Abstract: Multiple cameras capture videos within a secure room. When individuals are detected as entering the room, identities of the individuals are resolved. When an asset is exposed in a field of view of one of the cameras, the individuals' eye and head movements are tracked from the videos with respect to one another and the asset. Additionally, touches made by any of the individuals on the asset are tracked from the videos. The eye and head movements are correlated with the touches or lack of touches according to a security policy for the asset. Any violations of the security policy are written to a secure audit log for the room and the asset.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for outbound forecasting, comprising receiving an initial distribution of priority values to each fulfillment center (FC) in each region, running a simulation, using a simulation algorithm, of the initial distribution, calculating an outbound capacity utilization value of each FC, determining a number of FCs comprising an outbound capacity utilization value that exceeds a predetermined threshold, feeding the simulation algorithm with the determined number of FCs to generate one or more additional distributions of priority values, generating a FC priority filter comprising an optimal set of priority values based on the one or more additional distributions of priority values, and modifying an allocation of a plurality of SKUs among a plurality of FCs based on the generated FC priority filter.

Abstract: A computer system measures trust of an entity in electronic documents from electronic media sources is described. A communication network is linked to one or more of the sources. A computer server is in communication with the communication network and is configured to receive electronic documents via the communication network. The computer server having a memory and a processor accessing a database. The memory includes processor executable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The computer executable instructions comprise preliminary term vector instructions, calculating instructions for determining the preliminary term vectors in the received electronic documents, and refined term vector instructions for defining a plurality of industry-specific term vectors.

Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for interacting with data in a productivity application are presented. A plurality of values associated with the productivity application may be analyzed to determine whether they include a value that can be added to a set comprising a plurality of values with a set data type upon which the productivity application can execute a plurality of set operations. An indication to add at least one of the analyzed values as a member of the set may be received. At least one of the analyzed values may be added as a member of the set. An indication to perform a set operation associated with the set may be received and performed, and the result of the performed set operation may be displayed on a productivity application user interface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of determining whether a live human face is present for use as part of a facial recognition system and/or method, whereby a moving stimulus is generated. Human face movement in response to the generated stimulus is predicted using a model. The stimulus is presented to a face of a person. A movement of the face in response to the stimulus is tracked using a camera, and it is determined whether a live human face is present by comparing the movement of the face against the prediction.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples is a question platform which matches survey creators with survey takers (entities) referred by publishers. In some examples, the match can happen in real-time or near real time based upon a number of match criteria. Match criteria may include survey creator criteria submitted by the survey creators that describe desired entity attributes, a bid price (e.g., maximum price they are willing to pay), and survey content information. Match criteria may also include publisher criteria that describe entity information, an ask price (minimum price that the publisher is willing to accept for providing access to the entity), and content criteria (e.g., restrictions on the types of survey, the number of questions, and the like).

Abstract: Search result-based listing generation in a single view is described. Initially, search query input is received via a user interface and, as it is received, a listing system presents obtained search results via the user interface. The listing system supports generation of listings from search results, in part, by employing a listing schema that defines attributes for listings. Responsive to selection of a search result, for instance, the listing system identifies information of the selected search result corresponding to these attributes. The listing system then configures the user interface to present, concurrently with the search results, a listing template with this information. These listing templates are the basis for generating listings exposed to client devices by a distribution platform. Responsive to input to submit a listing, for instance, the listing system forms the listing from the information in the listing template and communicates the listing to the distribution platform.

Abstract: A cloud services composition system allows customers to interactively create service constructs from network function virtualization resources. The network function virtualization primitives are modeled using a standard modeling language. An expert system suggests network function virtualization resources for use in the service construct, based on an expert system learning algorithm. The customer uses a graphical user interface to interconnect the resources and create the service construct. The process may involve collaboration with the network provider. The resulting construct is validated for use in a communications network.

Abstract: In an approach to a passively managed loyalty program using customer images and customer behaviors, one or more processors may receive one or more customer characteristics and one or more customer behaviors. One or more processors may also query for a first user based on the one or more customer characteristics and the one or more customer behaviors. One or more processors may further receive a user profile ID based on the query. One or more processors may additionally store at least one customer characteristic from the one or more customer characteristics and at least one customer behavior from the one or more customer behaviors under the user profile ID.

Abstract: Provided herein are method, apparatus, and computer program products for facilitating the determination of an ideal discount rate or an ideal accepted value for a promotion based on a plurality of model-based decision trees. The decision trees may be generated based on a set of original data, which may include information from a set of past promotions. The trees may branch into smaller, more homogenous subgroups of the original data until a model is generated for each resulting node of the tree. The plurality of trees may be applied to a current promotion with a set of possible predetermined discount rates in order to determine an ideal discount rate or an ideal accepted value for the promotion.

Abstract: A system serializing and deserializing models configured to (i) store a first model, wherein the first model includes a plurality of functionalities; (ii) generate a human-readable document based on the first model, wherein the human-readable document describes the first model; (iii) generate a second model based on the human-readable document, wherein the second model includes the plurality of functionalities; (iv) train the second model; (v) generate a new human-readable document based on the trained second model; and (vi) generate an updated second model based on the new human-readable document.

Abstract: An exemplary aspect includes a computer system that has a client-side presentation layer processor; a server-side service layer component comprising one or more API controllers, at least one repository pattern processor, and a data layer processor; and a back-end layer component comprising at least one SQL server and a cache. In various exemplary embodiments: (a) the presentation layer processor comprises one or more controllers; (b) the one or more API controllers provide application security and authentication; and (c) the data layer processor comprises at least one data access component.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods for displaying targeted content on a digital signage board (DSB). The method includes receiving encrypted profile information from each of a plurality of user-computing devices when the plurality of user-computing devices is in a proximity range of the DSB, wherein the DSB is associated with one or more products and/or services. The method further includes aggregating the encrypted profile information received from each of the plurality of user-computing devices to generate an aggregated encrypted profile. Further, the method includes transmitting the aggregated encrypted profile to a content server, wherein the content server decrypts the aggregated encrypted profile to select the targeted content from a content repository associated with the one or more products and/or services, wherein the targeted content is displayed on the DSB.

Abstract: A system for observing and analyzing customer opinions is disclosed. The system includes one or more cameras, a focus tracking module, an observation module, an interpretation module, and a rating module. The focus tracking module uses the one or more cameras to determine a product having a focus of a person, the product having a plurality of characteristics. The observation module uses the one or more cameras to monitor one or more physical, physiological, or behavioral characteristics of the person with respect to the product. The interpretation module determines an opinion of the person regarding the product. The rating module adjusts one or more ratings of the product in response to the interpretation module determining the opinion of the person regarding the product.

Abstract: Payment platforms such as point of sale terminals can send test transactions to an acquirer processor certification and analytics system for certification of the payment platform's readiness to perform financial transaction processing with payment networks. A payment platform sends a test transaction to an acquirer processor and receives a unique request identifier. The request identifier and a test identifier associated with the test transaction are sent to an analytics engine that retrieves data associated with the test transaction from the acquirer processor, and expected values based on the test identifier. The analytics engine performs a comparison and determines a certification result for the payment platform based on the comparison. Based on certification results, authorization or licenses can be granted to payment platforms to use payment networks of the acquirer processor.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for identifying a service need via a promotional system, and offering the service need to a third party. Promotions may be offered via a promotional system for a consumer to purchase in exchange for a discounted product or service from a provider. Demand information, which may be collected based on promotions and/or other sources. A residual demand may be calculated based on the demand information and available inventory. The residual demand may be utilized to identify a service need. The service need may be identified in a geographic area having a similar demographic to a geographic area having an associated successful promotion. A service need may be provided to a third party or provider, and may indicate the need for a new business or expansion of a current business.

Abstract: A method and a file networking system (FNS) transform a content file into a content-centric social network with managed connectivity and indexable touchpoints. The FNS injects a tracking code with widgets for user activities into each portable copy of the content file when user devices request access to the content file before distributing the portable copies to the user devices through a network. The FNS establishes a bidirectional communication with the distributed portable copies (DPCs) through the network to receive tracking information including user created touchpoints identified by the tracking code based on usage of the DPCs. The FNS indexes the touchpoints and creates a satellite internet of users of the DPCs based on invite information and usage of the DPCs. The FNS establishes communication between users of the DPCs in the satellite internet using the widgets through the tracking code and the indexed touchpoints, whereby grouping is automatically achieved.

Abstract: Information for an advertising campaign is received that includes one or more advertisements for presentation to one or more users of an online system. A strong interest feature domain is generated for each user of the online system. A set of related items is obtained, wherein each item in the set is associated with an action conducted by the one or more users. It can be determined that a viewing user of the online system has interacted with at least one item in the set of related items, and the generated interest feature domain for the viewing user includes an interest feature domain specified in the advertising campaign. Responsive to the determination, an advertisement is selected for presentation to the viewing user.

Abstract: A security and maturity service is provided to generate a security score for an application. A set of data points are obtained, the data points indicating application information for an application. The data points may be associated with a particular axis of a plurality of axes defined by a scoring model. Furthermore, the scoring model may define a score for each axes based at least in part on the data points. A security score for the application may then be determined based at least in part on the score for the plurality of axes.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer program product for synchronizing a display context across a plurality of customer service applications. A computer system receives a service request from a first customer over one of a plurality of communication channels. The computer system accesses a first customer service ticket within a first customer context displayed in a first graphical user interface of a first customer service application. The computer system accesses a set of customer service tools within the first customer context displayed in a second graphical user interface of a second application. The computer system synchronizes the display context across both the first graphical user interface of the first application and the second graphical user interface of the second application.

Abstract: Dynamic targeting customization is disclosed. A template associated with content to be published on behalf of one or more entities is obtained. The template includes at least one targeting parameter associated with a set of users to be targeted. For each entity in the one or more entities, a data store including targeting information pertaining to the entity is queried based at least in part on the at least one targeting parameter included in the template. In response to the query, one or more targeting data values are obtained. An object including the obtained one or more targeting data values is generated based at least in part on the template. The generated object is provided as output to be published on behalf of the entity.

Abstract: An RFID portal reads multiple associated RFID tags on articles in groups moved through an RFID code reader having interrogation/charging and receiving/detection antennas concentrated on the group when in a reading zone. The articles are movable through a passage between the reading zone and an outside area. The passage has conductive walls at the reading zone associated with antennas for applying and collecting focused RF signals, and the walls define a vestibule lined with broadband or specific stopband electromagnetic damping structures as well as elongating signal paths into and/or out of the reading zone. Attenuation by one or more of broadband and stopband damping and signal path elongation can achieve 10 dB attenuation or more, sufficient to minimize interaction with stray RFID tagged articles that may be outside of the group in the reading zone.

Abstract: Provided is a system for determining a status of at least one merchant during or after an emergency event including at least one processor to retrieve historical transaction data for at least one merchant associated with a merchant category code (MCC), determine a first transaction count for the at least one merchant based on the historical transaction data for the at least one merchant, retrieve current transaction data for the at least one merchant, determine a second transaction count for the at least one merchant based on the current transaction data for the at least one merchant, classify the at least one merchant based at least partially on a comparison between the first transaction count and the second transaction count, and display a classification of the at least one merchant based on classifying the at least one merchant. A method and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer program for creating and deploying prepackaged, predictive and prescriptive analytics modules for use with a quote-to-cash application. When deployed, the prepackaged analytics modules execute seamlessly, from the user's perspective, with the quote-to-cash application to provide predictions, recommendations, or other data-driven insights at one or more places in the quote-to-cash process. The modules are created by leveraging a pre-defined transactional data model that is native to the quote-to-cash application. A separate instance of the module is created for each customer that deploys a module. A customer's instance of the module is automatically retrained with the customer's own quote-to-cash data during the deployment phase by retrieving customer data matching metadata definitions predefined by the quote-to-cash application.

Abstract: A system for detecting deception is provided. The system comprises a camera, an image processing unit, and a notification device. The camera is configured to capture an image sequence of a person of interest. The image processing unit is trained to determine a set of bitplanes of a plurality of images in the captured image sequence that represent the hemoglobin concentration (HC) changes of the person, and to detect the person's invisible emotional states based on HC changes. The image processing unit is trained using a training set comprising a set of subjects for which emotional state is known. The notification device provides a notification of at least one of the person's detected invisible emotional states.

Abstract: A display device and an image display system are provided which can easily identify different kinds of windows. Solution: A list X of simplified images M is based on data containing associated information of multiple attributes as metadata. A display is provided to display the list X in a matrix in which the simplified images M are located for respective pieces of associated information of one attribute in a row direction while the simplified images M are located for respective pieces of associated information of another attribute in a column direction. The display has a first sub window SW1 and a second sub window SW2 that are displayed in different display modes on the list X, the first sub window SW1 containing the images M sharing the associated information of one attribute and the associated information of another attribute in the list X of the images M, the second sub window SW2 containing the images M placed in the same folder in the list X of the images M.

Abstract: There are provided a merchandise recommendation device, a merchandise recommendation method, and a program which recommend coordination merchandise based on a sensitivity word according to a trend. A merchandise recommendation device 10 includes a basic merchandise specification unit 31, a recommendation merchandise specification unit 33, and a recommendation merchandise information output unit 34. The basic merchandise specification unit 31 specifies first merchandise. The recommendation merchandise specification unit 33 specifies recommendation merchandise associated with the first merchandise, among multiple pieces of merchandise belonging to a category different from a category to the first merchandise belongs, based on trend information and coordination information based on the sensitivity word. The basic merchandise specification unit 31 outputs information of the recommendation merchandise.

Abstract: The methods and systems described herein attempt to address the above-mentioned need by providing an algorithm and software capability to automatically detect and assess “natural experiments” that exist in any underlying dataset. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for identifying an experiment to use in an analysis of a business initiative comprises storing, by a computer, a set of historical data regarding entities in a business network; receiving, by the computer, a selection of inputs for the historical data; detecting, by the computer, a natural experiment based upon changes in the historical data; and outputting, by the computer, a report of a detected experiment from the historical data.

Abstract: A system and method that enables the ongoing communication, tracking, and management review of feedback among a population of workers and their management.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes determining, based on a received query and contextual information, candidate reasoners to respond to a received query to select a candidate reasoner. A reasoner or candidate reasoner is a module that translates information from a sensor, user settings, or other source, into additional or revised fields for a query. The method further includes generating, at each candidate reasoner determined, additional or revised query fields based on the contextual information and a rule of a rule database. The method further includes merging the additional query fields for each candidate reasoner based on a confidence score or other metric of each corresponding candidate reasoner. The confidence score can be based on applicability of the contextual information to the received query. The method further includes providing an enhanced query having the additional or revised query fields.

Abstract: A method for customer assisted robot picking includes navigating a robot to a pose location within a retail space in proximity to an item to be picked, the retail space having items for purchase by customers, the robot identifying, by a sensor in communication with the robot, a customer located within a zone proximate the robot, communicating to the customer information identifying the item to be picked, detecting presentation of the item by the customer for identification, and updating customer performance data stored in a customer account to include data corresponding to picking of the item by the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting personal information in individually unidentifiable way, includes a communication unit connected with external terminals through a network and performing communication; a controller generating an unidentifiable identifier (ID) of the apparatus and setting a transmission cycle period, at least one acquisition interval and at least one disclosure interval; a list generator acquiring at least one ID list disclosed by an external terminal through the communication unit, and generating an ID list for storage, an ID list acquired in acquisition interval, an ID list for disclosure, and an ID list for transmission; and a memory storing the ID list for storage, the ID list acquired in acquisition interval, the ID list for disclosure, and the ID list for transmission, generated by the list generator.

Abstract: Techniques for improving search using generalized linear mixed models are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method comprises: receiving a search query comprising at least one search term and being associated with a user; extracting features from corresponding profiles of a plurality of candidates; for each one of the candidates, generating a corresponding score based on a generalized linear mixed model comprising a generalized linear query-based model and a random effects user-based model; selecting a subset of candidates from the plurality of candidates based on the corresponding scores; and causing the selected subset of candidates to be displayed to the user in a search results page for the search query.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for managing business deals. The mechanisms and methods for managing business deals may enable embodiments to provide a dynamic and interactive user-interface including any combination of contacts, accounts, opportunities, allowing users to create tasks, events, leads (e.g., from Data.com), reports, dashboards, instant messenger, external deal spaces, email service (e.g., Outlook), a cloud-based productivity suite for businesses that allows work on any device (e.g., Google apps), mobile access, private messaging, lead management, mass email templates, social media monitoring (e.g., from Radian6), role-based sharing and security, and/or additional storage, for example. In an embodiment, the number of contacts may be unlimited.

Abstract: An ecosystem can be used for processing user questions and commands received via a conversational interface in a hierarchical permissioning manner. The questions and commands which a user is permissioned to ask/issue are determined at user logon. The ecosystem may be configured to access and return appropriate answers from a variety of sources, but only for questions which the user is permissioned to ask. In addition, the ecosystem can be configured to execute commands which may be received by the user via the conversational interface, but only for the commands which the user is permissioned to issue. The ecosystem may include a computer system configured to receive a text query representing a question asked from the user, score the questions which the user is permissioned to ask, select a high-scoring question, use an API to receive information responsive to the high-scoring question, and output the answer to the user.