Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is an Advanced Linear Game: Unbalanced: Overloaded.

Feb 95_game #4_M12_L4_explanations_game#5_setup_diagram_1.png

This game uses a repeating variable set—the sports—to fill in the seasonal slots for each of the two children. Within the game there are three important restrictions:

• 1. From the first rule, each child participates in four different sports, and thus once a child participates in a sport, he or she does not participate in that sport in another season.
  
  2. From the second-to-last rule, the two children cannot participate in the same sport during the same season. Thus, once one of the children participates in a particular sport, the other child cannot participate in that same sport during that same season.
  
  3. The winter season is particularly restricted because the children have only two sport options: H and V. And, H is offered only during the winter.

Let’s use the above information to make some inferences. As stipulated in the last rule of the game, Otto’s summer sport is V. Using the restrictions above, we can infer that Otto must participate in H during winter. And, because Nikki and Otto do not participate in the same sport in the same season, we can infer that Nikki must participate in V during winter. This inference is directly tested in question #19.

In addition, because H is offered only during the winter, Nikki will not participate in H during the year. This inference is tested in question #20.

Because Otto participates in V during summer, Otto will not participate in V in any other season, meaning that Otto’s only options for fall are M and R, and Otto’s only options for spring are K, M, and R.

[avengingangel]

Is it just the same to set this game up vertically, rather than horizontally? Vertical is how I did it, & it makes more sense to me. I still was able to answer all the questions correctly.

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi - it absolutely doesn't matter whether you used a vertical or a horizontal orientation in your setup, as long as you kept the rule representation consistent with your diagram! Good job on this one!

Thanks,

[FK00144]

does the double arrow with the line through the middle represent the second to last rule?

[Adam Tyson]

Correct, FK00144! We use that tool (the double not arrow) generally to mean "these two things cannot both occur," but in some cases we can use it to mean "nothing in common" or "not the same." That's how we are using it here - it means you cannot have the same thing appear in both spaces in a column, and the columns represent the seasons.

[cmorris32]

Hi Powerscore!

Would this be an appropriate game to identify two templates?

Thank you!
Caroline

[Adam Tyson]

I am a template junkie, Caroline, and I say yes. While the game can be done very easily with just that master diagram and some local diagrams while doing the questions, I also think doing two templates based on the M/R split in the Fall could be well worth the time it would save. In this case, it's more of a style choice - if you love templates, as I do, then you do them and you are happy that you did. If you are template-resistant, saving that approach for when it is really necessary and when, without it, you are in a bind, then you would not see the need here because the main diagram is so full and helpful.