Question 420
A team wants to compare two agent implementations but supplies different tools and permissions to each. Which evaluation condition is needed for meaningful comparison?
Explanation
Correct Answer
To compare agent implementations, hold the test cases, allowed tools, permission scopes, output contract, cost or time limits and grading rubric sufficiently equivalent that observed differences reflect the systems rather than unequal resources. Record model and tool versions and use the same evidence requirements for both candidates. Treat timeouts and unavailable calls as distinct operational outcomes, not automatically wrong answers. If one agent sees hidden keys or broader production data, the comparison is contaminated. Controlled input conditions and consistent measurement make the evaluation informative without assuming that equal scores prove every individual result correct.
Incorrect Answers
One easy demonstration task can hide large differences in tool use, resource cost or error handling between two agent implementations. A fair comparison needs representative scenarios, repeatable inputs and consistent observable budgets so that variation in results can be attributed to the candidate rather than the test setup. If one implementation uses more capable tools, record that as a configuration variable rather than claiming a model-only improvement. A single case has inadequate coverage for a general ranking.
Answer length can affect presentation but it does not control the external evidence, permissions or computational resources available to each implementation. Giving one agent broader retrieval or write access can change observed success rates even if their final responses contain the same number of words. A meaningful comparison should hold the task data, permitted tools, budgets and evaluation rubric comparable, and document any differences that remain. Equal text length is not an experimental control for asymmetric execution capabilities.
Showing one candidate the hidden answer key gives it privileged evaluation evidence that the other implementation does not receive. Its resulting accuracy can reflect answer memorization or direct copying rather than better reasoning or tool orchestration. Even if all other inputs match, this asymmetry invalidates a fair comparison. Both agents should receive the same question cases, authorized tools and resource limits, with keys and scoring materials withheld until grading. The evaluator should also record test coverage and uncertainty independently of the candidates’ narratives.



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