#17 - Global, Justify

[Dave Killoran]

This game is also discussed in our Podcast, at the 36:54 mark: LSAT Podcast Episode 37: The November 2019 LSAT Logic Games Section

Complete Question Explanation

(The complete setup for this game can be found here: https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=31747)

The correct answer choice is (D).

The question stem directs you to select an answer that assigns all the technicians to the computers in a way where all six spaces are filled. Thus, we need an answer that address the floating open space seen in each template, and which places the RT block in the process.



Answer choices (A) and (B): As we saw from making the three templates, assigning R and T to the same computer does not determine all six placements for any of the templates. Thus, these two answers are both incorrect.

Answer choices (C) and (E): These answers both address X, and that is helpful. However, X alone doesn't fill the "floating" space, and the variables added to X in these two answers—S and W—do not fill the empty space either.

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. T and W can only examine G under Template #1, and when that occurs, S and X must then be assigned to H. This fills all six spaces:

• _R_ _T_ _X_
  
  
  _T_ _W_ _S_
  
   F   G       H

[andy12]

I noted that Dave mentioned in the podcast episode referenced above that this game is possible without templates (and this is my instinct here, unfortunately). Is there any other suggestion other than seeing that answer D incorporates TW, rather than A/B with RT and C/E with SX, in terms of finding the correct answer as quickly as possible? I don't think I have a robust set of strategies for justify questions in logic games yet.

Thank you!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Andy

Good question!

I'm one of the more template-cautious folks at PowerScore, so I'm sympathetic to seeing how to solve things without templates. As an aside, I would use templates here because I can see an easy entry point for the templates.

Getting back to your actual question, without templates, I'd start here with something that involves T or R, but not together. Why? I'm partial to looking at the numerical distribution as starting point, because so much of the unbalanced games comes down to number awareness.

Why start with R/T (but not together)? Because that will tell us who the double is. We know exactly one of the five is used twice. Knowing which variable is the double is important because we can't have certainty about our answer choice unless we know 1) what the variables are in the correct solution and 2) where those variables are placed.

Answer choice (D) jumps out as an obvious choice to try first. Once we put T and W in G, we know T is our double. That means we still need to place S, X, R and T (with R and T together). I turn to the conditional rules to think about where to place the final 4 variables. If S is in F, X has to be in G. That can't happen. That puts S in H, X in H, and RT in F. That fills the diagram and means that answer choice (D) is the correct answer.

Hope that helps!

[andy12]

Thank you, Rachael! Trying it both ways, I see how templates are great here but your reasoning for going straight for R/T is super helpful. Much appreciated!