LSAT PrepTest 44 Section 3 Question 4 Explanation | Logic Games

I didn't write the following blog post. It was already on the blog when I took over the URL. The following blog post may contain mistakes. -Steve

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This Logic Games question is from the October 2004 LSAT.

Following what we did on Question 2, our previous Games question, we won't be symbolizing the rules, but we will make a symbol for each quantity (in this case, each dignitary). Using the first letter of each name, we have:

FMRST

Next, we make a diagram of the situation in which we put the symbols. Garibaldi is meeting with them for a total of 7 times, so we'll make the same sort of table we made last time. That kind of table works for almost any LSAT Game. (It's hard to show this in a blog, but just imagine the lines between the numbers extended downward to make a table).

1 | 2| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6| 7|

And we'll symbolize the question, with S going before R:

S - R

Now, using trial and error and following the rules the game's set-up gave us and the S - R rule, we'll place the symbols into the diagram.

1 | 2| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6| 7|
F | T | S | R| F |M| F|

That fits with the set-up rules and the S - R rule in the question. So, let's see which answer choices we can eliminate. Since this is a "must be true" question, if an answer choice doesn't fit with our diagram, we can eliminate it. After all, if it had to be true, our diagram couldn't be in conflict with it.

A) This doesn't have to be true, since our diagram conflicts with it, and our diagram is right.

B) This might be true, it fits our diagram.

C) Might be true.

D) Need not be true.

E) Might be true.

So we can see that we need to retool our diagram to eliminate more answer choices, which is fine. We have B, C, and E. Let's try a new diagram, again arrived at by trial and error:

1 | 2| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6| 7|
F| M | F | T | S |R |F|

B) Wrong, doesn't fit our diagram.

C) Doesn't fit our diagram.

E) Correct.


Remember:

1) Make a symbol for each quantity, usually using the first letter in its name.

2) Make a diagram in which you put the symbols. A simple table will answer almost any LSAT question very quickly. No need for anything fancy. Be sure to make a diagram, though; practically every game needs one for most or all of its questions. You can either make a separate diagram for each question or one for the whole game. The latter option is better, I think, because it saves time.

3) Don't try to work out the implications of the rules in the set-up right away. We could have deduced a number of things from the rules above, by why not wait until you see the questions? That way, if the deduction wasn't needed, you didn't waste precious time doing it.

4) Eliminate answers on "must be true" questions by seeing if the answer choices ever conflict with your diagram. If so, the answer choice need not be true. It could true, possibly, but it doesn't have to be true.

5) Retool your diagram if the first diagram didn't eliminate 4 answer choices. This can be done quickly by just extending the lines in the table, not drawing a new table every time.

6) Arrive at different diagrams by trial and error, seeing where you should put the symbols according to the set-up rules and the question.