# Retrieval: threshold, prompt shape and the empty-context path

the store holds the 4 pages of one handbook as 4 chunks; topK = 20

--- question: "How many days of annual leave do employees get?" ---
similarityThreshold 0.0 (the default): 4 chunk(s)
    score 0.5891  page 2  "4.1 Annual Leave Entitlement. Full-time empl..."
    score 0.4077  page 3  "4.3 Requesting Leave. All leave requests mus..."
    score 0.2535  page 1  "Acme Employee Handbook 2026  3.5 Probationar..."
    score 0.2023  page 4  "6.1 Expenses. Receipts are required for ever..."
similarityThreshold 0.3: 2 chunk(s)
    score 0.5891  page 2  "4.1 Annual Leave Entitlement. Full-time empl..."
    score 0.4077  page 3  "4.3 Requesting Leave. All leave requests mus..."

--- question: "What is the capital of Mongolia?" ---
similarityThreshold 0.0 (the default): 4 chunk(s)
    score 0.0000  page 1  "Acme Employee Handbook 2026  3.5 Probationar..."
    score 0.0000  page 2  "4.1 Annual Leave Entitlement. Full-time empl..."
    score 0.0000  page 3  "4.3 Requesting Leave. All leave requests mus..."
    score 0.0000  page 4  "6.1 Expenses. Receipts are required for ever..."
similarityThreshold 0.3: 0 chunk(s)

--- the prompt the model receives (threshold 0.3, question about leave) ---
Context information is below.

---------------------
4.1 Annual Leave Entitlement. Full-time employees are entitled to 20 working days
of annual leave per calendar year. Part-time employees receive leave pro rata.

4.2 Leave Carryover. Unused annual leave may be carried over for a maximum of 5 days
into the next calendar year and must be used by 31 March.
4.3 Requesting Leave. All leave requests must be submitted through the HR portal
at least two weeks in advance for absences longer than three days.

4.7 Sick Leave. Sick leave is separate from annual leave and is not deducted from it.
A medical certificate is required after three consecutive days.
---------------------

Given the context information and no prior knowledge, answer the query.

Follow these rules:

1. If the answer is not in the context, just say that you don't know.
2. Avoid statements like "Based on the context..." or "The provided information...".

Query: How many days of annual leave do employees get?

Answer:


--- nothing retrieved, allowEmptyContext(false): the prompt the model receives ---
The user query is outside your knowledge base.
Politely inform the user that you can't answer it.


--- nothing retrieved, allowEmptyContext(true): the prompt the model receives ---
What is the capital of Mongolia?

--- off-topic question, default threshold 0.0, allowEmptyContext(false) ---
chunks placed in the prompt: 4 of 4
the empty-context safety net fired: false