#18 - Local, Must Be True, Minimum

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15614)

The correct answer choice is (D)

If O joined the law firm before M, then K, J, H, N, and O must all have joined the law firm before M. Under these circumstances, 1966 is the earliest year in which M could have joined the firm. Therefore, answer choice (D) is correct.

[gdv15]

Hi,

Game #3 June 91, Q. #18

If O joined the firm before M, which is the earliest year in which M could have joined?

I am not sure why not 1963. I came up with H>N>O>K>J>M>G>I

H & N are the only partners who must have joined before O. The branch is throwing me off; thought variables under branch are separate from ea. other.

Thanks,

G

[Dave Killoran]

Hey G,

Thanks for the question.

Check out that question stem again--it asks about the earliest year M could have joined, not O. Your diagram shows O in 1963, not M (M is in 66).

Please let me know if that resolves it for you.

Thanks!

[Kelly R]

Hi PS,

What would the local diagram look like for this question? It was a bit cumbersome and I had a bit of difficulty representing the scenario in which O precedes M, though I was able to solve this one just by referencing the global diagram. Is this a question that would be conducive to producing a local diagram (as typically happens in sequencing games when new rules are introduced in the question stem), or is it better just to reference the global diagram on this one? Thanks.

[Adam Tyson]

I agree, Kelly - building a local diagram for this question using the standard pure sequencing tools is a bit cumbersome, and could involve creating lines that swoop around other lines, or other creative visual approaches that connect M to both O and J while not accidentally connecting it to G and I. My answer would be to not do that, but to just use the global diagram and count how many variables must be before M. We already knew that K and J came before M, so now we just add H, N, and O to that list, and we should be able to see that with at least those 5 variables before it, the earliest that M could be is 6th.

But there is an approach to a local diagram that uses a base of 8 spaces, like a Basic Linear game, that would help, and it would look something like this:

(H-N-O, K-J)(M, G-I)

Done this way, it shows us that the H-N-O sequence and the K-J sequence are together in the first five spaces and could overlap in a lot of different ways. It then puts M and the G-I sequence together in the last three spaces, again with some flexibility in how the M interacts with the other two variables. This diagram should make it clear enough that M can be no earlier than 6th.

[carolmorales]

Hello,

I am still unsure on why the earliest year in which M could have joined the firm is 1966. I understand that H, N, O come before M, but I see no relation between K-J and M. I first got it wrong and then thought that 1966 makes sense becase either G or I can comer after, but now I read through it again and I'm trying to understand why K and J come before M. Thanks a lot!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi carol,

The fact that K and J have to come before M is coming from the global rules to the game, which always apply unless the question stem specifically suspends any of them.

The fifth rule is "James joined the firm before MacNeil," and the second rule is "King joined the firm before James," so those two rules together force K and J to come before M.

Let me know if that clears it up!

[Justandrea13]

Hello,

I had trouble with diagramming the Question 18 (Lesson 1 - pure sequencing) - Assume that Owens joined the law firm before McNeil.

I had the initial set up done correctly. But I don't know how to put O before M, K-J before M, and J & N before G?

I tried this:

O--------M
/ /
H---N K-- J--G--I
\------/

N & J come before G

Please help Thanks!

The set-up I changed when I hit submit...let me try again here:

O--------M
/ /
H---N K-- J--G--I
\------/

[Chandler H]

Hi Andrea,

I'm not sure I can fully understand your diagram, because of the formatting. However, you're correct that this is a pretty complex diagramming question. Luckily, it's also flexible! For the purposes of this question, I would simply make a note along the side of your diagram that O comes before M. Then, count up how many variables must come before M. You'll see that the answer is five (the "H - N - O" sequence, and the "K - J" sequence). Therefore, the earliest M could have joined is 1966, because that puts 5 spaces before M.

Does that make sense?

[Justandrea13]

Yes, it does - thank you!