Kaelum Bench v0.2 · Public Calibration
Synthetic sample task: Normalized EBITDA
A transparent demonstration of task structure and deterministic partial credit. The figures and scenario are fictional.
Public example
Demonstration only; not used in current calibration results or scoring
This fictional example illustrates the shape of a Kaelum Bench task. It is not drawn from the active hidden task set and contains no non-public benchmark material.
Input
All amounts are in USD for the year ended 31 December 2025.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Revenue | 12,500,000 |
| Cost of goods sold | (7,400,000) |
| Personnel expense | (2,150,000) |
| Other operating expenses | (1,120,000) |
| Other operating income | 160,000 |
| Depreciation and amortization | (430,000) |
Additional facts
- Personnel expense includes 180,000 for a completed one-time plant closure.
- Other operating expenses include a 95,000 one-time legal settlement.
- Other operating expenses include 70,000 for an annual recurring recruitment campaign.
- Other operating income includes a 140,000 gain on equipment disposal.
- Reported EBITDA excludes depreciation and amortization.
Task
Calculate reported EBITDA and normalized EBITDA. Identify every permitted normalization adjustment, calculate the normalized EBITDA margin, and return the result in the required structure. Do not infer adjustments beyond the supplied facts.
Allowed tools
No external tools. Use only the supplied figures; no web access, files, or outside data sources.
Expected structured output
{
"currency": "USD",
"reported_ebitda": "1990000.00",
"adjustments": [
{
"id": "plant_closure",
"direction": "add_back",
"amount": "180000.00"
},
{
"id": "legal_settlement",
"direction": "add_back",
"amount": "95000.00"
},
{
"id": "equipment_disposal_gain",
"direction": "deduct",
"amount": "140000.00"
}
],
"normalized_ebitda": "2125000.00",
"normalized_ebitda_margin_percent": "17.0"
}Ground Truth
Reported EBITDA = 12,500,000 − 7,400,000 − 2,150,000 − 1,120,000 + 160,000 = 1,990,000
Net adjustment = 180,000 + 95,000 − 140,000 = 135,000
Normalized EBITDA = 1,990,000 + 135,000 = 2,125,000
Normalized margin = 2,125,000 ÷ 12,500,000 = 17.0%
The recurring recruitment campaign remains in EBITDA. Depreciation and amortization is already excluded and is not a normalization adjustment.
100 points total
Deterministic scoring
5 points
Valid required structure and USD currency
15 points
Reported EBITDA equals 1,990,000.00
36 points
Three permitted adjustments, 12 points per adjustment
- 3 points for the correct adjustment ID
- 4 points for the exact amount
- 5 points for the correct direction or treatment (add back or deduct)
8 points
No adjustment for recurring recruitment or depreciation and amortization
26 points
Normalized EBITDA equals 2,125,000.00
10 points
Normalized EBITDA margin equals 17.0%
Partial credit
Each criterion is evaluated independently. An otherwise incomplete response can receive points for every exact field and adjustment it gets right; no subjective review is required for this demonstration.
Typical errors
- Adding back the recurring recruitment campaign.
- Adding depreciation and amortization a second time.
- Treating the equipment disposal gain as an add-back.
- Omitting the one-time legal settlement.
- Using reported rather than normalized EBITDA for the margin.
- Returning prose instead of the required structured result.