#24 - Local, Must Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15947)

The correct answer choice is (A)

If S, T, and U speak second, then Q and R must each appear in the first speaking slot at least once. Because of this, at least one of Q and R must speak in the fifth slot at one of the meetings, and it follows that answer choice (A) is correct. From a structural standpoint, answer choices (D) and (E) are very unlikely to be correct since they deal with third and fourth slots.

[180bound]

I have a question, What precludes the possibility of this?

Meeting 1: Q S ___ ___ ___

Meeting 2: R T ___ ___ ___

Meeting 3: T U ___ ___ ___

The rule only tells you about slot 2, and I know that Q and R have to appear AT LEAST once in slot 1 somewhere, but I have trouble understanding as to why Q and R couldn't just appear once in the first time slots for the meets?

Thanks!

[Adam Tyson]

Nothing precludes that, 180bound - you've come up with a perfectly valid set of starting options! But the correct answer is A, which is about the people speaking 5th, and at least one of Q or R must do that, or else we would violate the second rule.

[180bound]

Thank you, that makes sense now!

[HandlebarJoe]

Hello there, I have a question about why the answer choice B for this question is incorrect. Is it because I can select any of the other three variables such as S,T, U which would make the statement “must be true” false? Thank you

[Dave Killoran]

Hello there, I have a question about why the answer choice B for this question is incorrect. Is it because I can select any of the other three variables such as S,T, U which would make the statement “must be true” false? Thank you

Hi HandlebarJoe,

Thanks for the question! Yes, that's exactly the case. While Q or R each could speak first twice, they don't have to. You could have Q speak first once, R, speak once first, and then any of S, T, or U speak first once. Thus it's not the case that (B) is always true, and so it is incorrect.

Please let me know if that helps.

[rench.co]

What makes B wrong and A correct? I don't know what I'm missing between question B and A because neither appears more right to me. In the game R and Q can only be first so you could have QQR, RRQ, QRQ, etc for day 1. That being said Q or R has to occur twice in position 1, but also due to the 2nd rule we need Q or R in position 5 (due to 5th-->1st) .

[katehos]

Hi rench.co!

Nothing about this question or the rules requires R and Q to be the only variables that can be first. While, yes, Q and R must be first at least once in this local scenario, any of S/T/U could be the repeat variable and occur first at some point. So, it not necessarily true that either Q or else R speakers first at exactly two of the meetings and (B) can be eliminated.

Here's an example:

M1: R S T U Q
M2: Q T U R S
M3: S U R T Q

In this scenario, neither R nor Q speaks first at exactly two meetings, but every other rule in the game (as the local scenario) is followed! It would be a mistaken reversal of the second rule to assume that if a candidate speaks first, then they must speak fifth at some point. Remember that the fifth slot either has two or three different speakers, so it's entirely possible to repeat Q (or R) in slot 5 without appearing twice in the first slot. It is not possible, however, to avoid Q or R speaking fifth in at least one of the meetings!

I hope this helps
Kate

[rench.co]

Hi rench.co!

Nothing about this question or the rules requires R and Q to be the only variables that can be first. While, yes, Q and R must be first at least once in this local scenario, any of S/T/U could be the repeat variable and occur first at some point. So, it not necessarily true that either Q or else R speakers first at exactly two of the meetings and (B) can be eliminated.

Here's an example:

M1: R S T U Q
M2: Q T U R S
M3: S U R T Q

In this scenario, neither R nor Q speaks first at exactly two meetings, but every other rule in the game (as the local scenario) is followed! It would be a mistaken reversal of the second rule to assume that if a candidate speaks first, then they must speak fifth at some point. Remember that the fifth slot either has two or three different speakers, so it's entirely possible to repeat Q (or R) in slot 5 without appearing twice in the first slot. It is not possible, however, to avoid Q or R speaking fifth in at least one of the meetings!

I hope this helps
Kate

Thank you! That makes so much sense!!