Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Circular Linearity game.

After a long hiatus, Circular games returned to the LSAT with this October 2003 game. Although prevalent in the 1980s, Circular games have appeared infrequently since then, possibly owing to the fact that most Circular games were relatively easy. Thus, by the time this game appeared (after over a decade of LSATs without a Circular game), most students were not well-equipped to handle a Circular game, and adding to that frustration was the fact that this game is rather difficult.

The game scenario provides the following initial setup:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd1.png

The first rule establishes that F and G sit across from each other, and the optimal approach to a Circular game dictates that such a rule should always be placed on the diagram if possible, as it divides the table in half:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd2.png

The second rule creates two not-blocks:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd3.png

Because part of this rule involves F, who is already placed on the diagram, two H Not Laws can be drawn on the main diagram:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd4.png

The third rule creates a block, which will be represented as if the block is on the right half of the diagram:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd5.png

Note that when the block is placed on the left half of the diagram it will reverse position (this is one of the hazards of a circular game; although the block hasn’t changed, because of the circularity it “looks” different as it moves around the table). Thus, when the block is on the left half, it appears as follows:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd6.png

The appearance of the block also creates four Not Laws, two each next to F and G:

PT41-Oct2003_LGE-G4_srd7.png

With the rules covered, M and P should be noted as randoms. At this juncture, one could make four templates based on the position of the OI block, but doing so provides just a few extra Not Laws on just two of the templates, and thus is not a tremendous amount of additional help.

[nutcracker]

Is it just me, or is this game actually time-consuming? This is not quite like the other circular linearity games I've seen so far, and I'm at a loss how to attack the questions efficiently, especially question #23. For that one I had to make four diagrams and I doubt it's a good way to solve a question. Any better idea would be appreciated. Thank you!

[James Finch]

Hi Nutcracker,

Absolutely! In fact, the fourth game in a section is usually (but not always) the most difficult/time consuming. One of the indicators of a game being a timesink is the ratio of global questions (the answer will always be true according to the overall rules of the game) versus local questions (questions that add a rule that only affects that question): the greater the proportion of local questions, the likelier the initial setup is to be very incomplete and highly dependent upon where a certain variable slots in. In some cases, this will yield a limited number of templates, between 2-4, depending on the location of one or two variables. But in other games, like this one, solving out all the possibilities would take too much time, and the global rules don't yield themselves to templates.

Here, I recommend using the information gained from answering prior questions to help eliminate loser answer choices and test only the remaining contenders. Question #23 recalls information that would have been gained by correctly answering questions #19 and #21: #19 tells us that H-G-O cannot work with I and K across the table from one another, and if you made a complete template for #19, could see that H would have no place to go if K were put across the table from I and O was next to G, helping us zero in on testing answer choice (B). Question #21 tells us that M can work next to O and have K across the table from I, which allows us to eliminate answer choice (D). So gradually accumulating information about a game while answering the questions is crucial in efficiently answering all of the questions. At times, this can even mean skipping a question, which will then be answered by work done on a later question.

Hope this helps!

[lsatdaily]

Hello,

Can someone possibly post 4 templates/ set ups?

Thank you so much in advance!

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Hi lsatdaily,

Thanks for your question! Generally speaking, we need a bit more input from you before we delve into a discussion of a particular logic game. Ultimately, it won't be us who are taking the test; it's you! Our goal is to help you cultivate the analytical ability to approach these games on your own, which is why you need to help us help you first.

Here's what I'd like you to do:

1. Describe your approach to the setup. Were you able to determine what type of game it is? What the variable sets are?

2. Were you able to diagram any of the rules, or make any inferences?

I am confident that you will get more out of our help if we start with an understanding of how you approached the game and what you found difficult about it.

Thanks!

[melissa7t]

Hi, I'm having trouble setting up this game. I have tried diagraming a circular table but I don't feel like I am doing it correctly nor does it seem to work with question #18.

[Robert Carroll]

Melissa,

My diagram would be something like this:

oct03diag.png

This works because none of the seating positions have numbers, so if F and G are directly across from each other, you can imagine moving around the table yourself until F's seat is at the top (12 o'clock). G's seat will then be at the bottom, and the rest of the diagram should be fairly intuitive from there.

Robert Carroll

[angelsfan0055]

Would there be able to a diagram for this game? I basically want to make sure I understood the final rule correctly.
I put O to the left of I (OI) because that's what it seemed to indicate thinking about clockwise.
is this correct? I got 4/7 on this one and it took me a bit to figure out especially No. 23.

[Adam Tyson]

Check out Robert's diagram in this thread, angelsfan0055. Your approach to the OI rule is good, but you have to remember that as you move around the table, "clockwise" might not mean "to the right." Depending on where O is, I might appear to it's left (from our perspective) or "above" O, or "below" it. Think of O and I as two people facing the table, and I will always be immediately to O's left.

[sthomas188]

I am confused about the first rule that states that F and G sit across from each other. How do you conclude that F and G sit where you have diagrammed them? Why can they not sit on the diagonal lines or even the middle horizontal line? Since the rule states they must be across from each other I am assuming they could then sit at any point, so long as the other letter is across.