#14 - Global, Could Be True, Except

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14240)

The correct answer choice is (A)

This is a tricky question, and probably the hardest question of the game. The question is very difficult if you do not infer that S and M must play the same sport.

Because M and S must play the same sport, when S plays tennis, M must also play tennis. When M plays tennis, the fifth rule is enacted, and that rule indicates that when M plays tennis, S always ranks higher than M. Thus, because M and S would always play tennis together, S could never be the lowest-ranking tennis player, and answer choice (A) is correct.

Note that O (as referenced in answer choice (C)), could be the lowest-ranking tennis player if S and M (and therefore P) play golf.

[wvs]

Hello,

I am just doing the Golf and Tennis game (June 1998 Game 3) and I have a question regarding question 14.

In template 1, where O is in tennis and K could also be, is there a set order if I place K in the tennis group with O? Do I use the K>O>P order? Or do I only use that if I have P in tennis? So it could be K O or O K in the order for that template 1?

Thank you,

-Whitney

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Whitney,

Thanks for the question. Under Template #1, if K and O both play tennis, then they can be ranked in either order--K O or O K. The K > O > P ranking is only in effect if the last rule is enacted, where P plays tennis.

Note that #14 is a tricky question, and probably the hardest question of the game.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

[wvs]

Thanks, that helps!

[Dave Killoran]

Great, glad I could help. I think you pretty much had it on your own, but if you have any other questions, please let me know.

Thanks!

[kinzamalik01]

thanks for helping us here!

[LSAT2018]

I took the conditional rules to eliminate the COULD BE TRUE answers.

1. Maricella (Golf) → Maricella (Golf) < Paulo (Golf) < Shigeru (Golf)

2. Maricella (Tennis) → Oliver (Tennis) < Shigeru (Tennis) < Maricella (Tennis)

3. Paulo (Tennis) → Kim (Tennis) < Oliver (Tennis) < Paulo (Tennis)


Kim and Oliver (Answers B and C) were eliminated using the first conditional because if Marciella, Shigeru, and Paulo played golf, there is the possibility that Kim and Oliver play tennis, and both could rank lowest.

Marciella and Paulo (Answers D and E) were eliminated using the second and third conditionals. Would this be the right approach?

[Adam Tyson]

Absolutely right, LSAT2018! Well done. You could also use the templates, of which there are three:

1. M plays Golf. Golf is L M P S, Tennis has O, and K is essentially random (can go anywhere other than first in Golf, since L always has that position)

2. M plays Tennis and P plays Tennis: Tennis has K O S M, and P is after O as well (on a separate branch); L sits alone in Golf

3. M plays Tennis and P plays Golf: Tennis is O S M, Golf is L P, and again K is free to go anywhere other than first in Golf

The templates show variations with O, K, M, or P last in Tennis, and S never is. Boom! I do love me some templates!

[hope]

Absolutely right, LSAT2018! Well done. You could also use the templates, of which there are three:

1. M plays Golf. Golf is L M P S, Tennis has O, and K is essentially random (can go anywhere other than first in Golf, since L always has that position)

2. M plays Tennis and P plays Tennis: Tennis has K O S M, and P is after O as well (on a separate branch); L sits alone in Golf

3. M plays Tennis and P plays Golf: Tennis is O S M, Golf is L P, and again K is free to go anywhere other than first in Golf

The templates show variations with O, K, M, or P last in Tennis, and S never is. Boom! I do love me some templates!

Adam you say: "The templates show variations with O, K, M, or P last in Tennis, and S never is. Boom! I do love me some templates!" But I don't visually see how from your template that M or P are the lowest ranking. I see how O and K are. Can you be more specific as to how M and P can be last in tennis? Thank you.

[Adam Tyson]

In template 2, hope, either M or P can be last, and in template 3 M can be last too. In template 2, for example, M doesn't need to be before anything else in Tennis, so it could be last. Same with P - it just has to be somewhere after O, and that includes that it could be last.