Self-Evolved Preference Optimization for Enhancing Mathematical Reasoning in Small Language Models
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arXiv
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| Autori principali: | , , |
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| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866913723216560128 |
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| author | Singh, Joykirat Chakraborty, Tanmoy Nambi, Akshay |
| author_facet | Singh, Joykirat Chakraborty, Tanmoy Nambi, Akshay |
| contents | Large language models (LLMs) have significantly improved their reasoning capabilities; however, they still struggle with complex multi-step mathematical problem-solving due to error propagation, lack of self-correction, and limited adaptability to diverse reasoning styles. Existing methods rely on static fine-tuning or prompt engineering, which fail to generalize across problem complexities, while the scarcity of high-quality preference data further hinders reliable reasoning.
We introduce SPHERE, a self-evolving data generation pipeline that enhances reasoning in small language models (SLMs) by iteratively generating, correcting, and diversifying reasoning chains. SPHERE operates in three stages: (i) Self-Generation, where the model autonomously constructs problem-solving steps; (ii) Self-Correction, enabling it to identify and rectify errors; and (iii) Diversity Induction, improving robustness through multiple valid reasoning trajectories. This self-evolution mechanism strengthens mathematical reasoning and enhances model reliability. Evaluations on MATH 500, GSM8K, AIME, AMC, and Olympiad show that SPHERE-trained models achieve significant gains over their base versions and match/surpass GPT-4o on certain benchmarks. Our findings demonstrate that self-evolving models can close the reasoning gap between SLMs and state-of-the-art LLMs, making mathematical AI more reliable, scalable, and efficient. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_04813 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Self-Evolved Preference Optimization for Enhancing Mathematical Reasoning in Small Language Models Singh, Joykirat Chakraborty, Tanmoy Nambi, Akshay Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Computation and Language Large language models (LLMs) have significantly improved their reasoning capabilities; however, they still struggle with complex multi-step mathematical problem-solving due to error propagation, lack of self-correction, and limited adaptability to diverse reasoning styles. Existing methods rely on static fine-tuning or prompt engineering, which fail to generalize across problem complexities, while the scarcity of high-quality preference data further hinders reliable reasoning. We introduce SPHERE, a self-evolving data generation pipeline that enhances reasoning in small language models (SLMs) by iteratively generating, correcting, and diversifying reasoning chains. SPHERE operates in three stages: (i) Self-Generation, where the model autonomously constructs problem-solving steps; (ii) Self-Correction, enabling it to identify and rectify errors; and (iii) Diversity Induction, improving robustness through multiple valid reasoning trajectories. This self-evolution mechanism strengthens mathematical reasoning and enhances model reliability. Evaluations on MATH 500, GSM8K, AIME, AMC, and Olympiad show that SPHERE-trained models achieve significant gains over their base versions and match/surpass GPT-4o on certain benchmarks. Our findings demonstrate that self-evolving models can close the reasoning gap between SLMs and state-of-the-art LLMs, making mathematical AI more reliable, scalable, and efficient. |
| title | Self-Evolved Preference Optimization for Enhancing Mathematical Reasoning in Small Language Models |
| topic | Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Computation and Language |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.04813 |