- Wed Jun 05, 2024 3:09 pm
#106838
Hi g_lawyered,
While it's unusual for a game to only have two rules, it's not unprecedented. (The infamous Mulch/Stone game from the June 2010 LSAT is a great example.)
While the two rules are conditional in nature in terms of the wording, I wouldn't diagram them conditionally (or take the contrapositives, etc.).
Instead, a much easier way to approach these rules (and the game itself) is in sequencing terms.
The scenario tells us that there are basically three groups:
The Recent Hires (who are Non-Managers) (F,G,H)
The Experienced Non-Manager (Y)
and the Experienced Managers (W,Z)
Now the scenario doesn't word it this way, so it's important to simplify what the scenario is saying. (The scenario breaks it down into recent and experienced, and manager vs. non-manager, but since no recent hire is a manager, it works out to 3 separate levels of experience/authority without overlap.)
The first rule states that the managers have a higher level of clearance than the non-managers. Assuming that you set up your main diagram going from 1 to 4 (left to right), then the first rule would be a sequencing rule that
NM (non-managers) - M (Managers)
Meaning the non-managers are to the left of the managers in the sequence.
The second rule states that the experienced workers have a higher level of clearance than the recent hires.
RH - Exp
Meaning the recent hires are to the left of the experienced workers in the sequence.
Now combining these rules and using the actual variables rather than their subgroup labels, you should get a fairly straightforward sequencing chain.
(F,G,H) - Y - (W,Z)
If I were diagramming this on scratch paper, the F, G, and H would be on triple vertical branches and the W and Z would be on double vertical branches.
It's important to realize that this sequencing chain takes up a minimum of 3 different badge levels and we only have 4 badge levels to consider, so basically you have one extra space to "slide" these variables.
It's also important to realize that Y can only go in level 2 or 3, and these 2 possible branches are a very good indicator for templates.
Template 1
If Y is in 2, then (F,G,H) are in 1 and (W,Z) can go in 3/4 in any combination (i.e. both in 3, both in 4, or split.)
Template 2
If Y is in 3, then (W,Z) are in 4 and (F,G,H) are in 1/2 in any combination.
With that setup, the questions should be relatively straightforward.
(Lastly, while this game does have several fixed numerical distributions, it's probably not worth the time in this case to write them all out as the templates really provide everything that you need.)
