Re: Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Pattern Game.

PT16-Sep 1995 LGE-G4_srd1.png

As with most Pattern games, this game has a minimal setup.

The first rule indicates that there odd and even rounds. The second and third rules indicate what each round consists of from a matchup standpoint. The fourth rule indicates what happens when a lower-positioned team wins (they move up a spot), and the losing team then drops down. If the lower-positioned team loses, the two teams stay in the same positions.

One of the critical inferences of the game is that one team does not participate in each round. For example, during an odd-position round, the team in position 1 does not play; during an even-position round, the team in position 5 does not play. Also, it is critical to understand that players can only move up or down a maximum of one position from one round to the next. This information is particularly helpful on questions #19 and #24.

Because this is a Pattern game, no further inferences can be made, and you should move on from the setup quickly and get to the questions. Use the questions to get a better understanding of how the game works.

As is the case in many Pattern games, all of the questions are Local. This occurs because the very nature of Pattern games requires that more information be added before any specific inferences can be made.

[rachue]

Hey, you guys wouldn't have any ideas on a good method of attacking this set? I did a model as best as I could, but had a hard time visualizing everything (the question seems to be very different than the others we've tried). Question 24 was especially difficult. I got the answers but it was really tedious to go through.

[Dave Killoran]

You mean the Tennis League game? That game looks harder than it actually is. It's a Pattern game, but the fact that the even and odd rounds alternate, and the fact that you know the starting order, really limits the number of possibilities in that game.

One of the keys to the game is understanding that teams can't move up, or down, very quickly, because they can advance or decline at most one position at a time.

The other key is understanding that in the odd round, the team in position 1 does not play and is therefore stationary, and that in the even round, the team in position 5 does not play and is therefore stationary.

There's a fairly extensive course module on Pattern games--have you checked that out yet? Pattern games are relatively rare, but there are some special features about them that give them away.

Please let me know if you have any specific questions about the game. Thanks!

[rachue]

Thanks, Dave! I'll look for that module. Where would it be on the site?

Also, I had a question as regards the first rule: "Matches are played alternately in odd-position rounds and in even-position rounds."

Can we assume from this that odd position rounds begin first?

[Dave Killoran]

It's in the Online Student Center, in Lesson and Homework Supplements, under Lesson 7--there are two modules on Pattern games there.

As for the S95 game, no, an even round can be played first--take a look at question #19 which stipulates that exactly one even round has been played and no odd round has been played. If the test makers wanted you to know that the game always starts with an odd round, they would have have stated that directly, as in the "The matches always begin with an odd round..."

[rachue]

Ok, thanks for the clarification!

[deborahjeng]

I know that there have been a couple of topics discussing this question, but I cannot seem to understand the initial critical inferences of this game that were discussed in previous topics. While I know that this is a pattern game, and there is not much that I can do for the set-up, can someone please explain the game to me step by step and how to get to those inferences? This game really caught me off guard.

Thank you!

[Jon Denning]

Hey Deborah - you are correct, this game doesn't allow for a lot of initial inferences in terms of what you can represent. The key is keeping track of the rules and how even/odd rounds result in different match ups, and how the teams will move up and down in ranking from the initial rank. More specifically:

The first rule indicates that there odd and even rounds. The second and third rules indicate what each round consists of from a matchup standpoint. The fourth rule indicates what happens when a lower positioned team wins (they move up a spot), and the losing team then drops down. If the lower positioned team loses, the two teams stay in the same positions.

One of the critical inferences of the game is that one team does not participate in each round. For example, during an odd-position round, the team in position 1 does not play; during an even-position round, the team in position 5 does not play. Also, it is critical to understand that players can only move up or down a maximum of one position from one round to the next. This information is particularly helpful on questions #19 and #24.

Because this is a Pattern game, no further inferences can be made, and you should move on from the setup quickly and get to the questions, which you will use to get a better understanding of how the game works.

Thanks!

[ava17]

Hi! I'm confused about the second rule in this game which states that 3 and 5 play with teams above them - but 5 is the top most team. How should this rule be interpreted?

[Robert Carroll]

Ava,

As the scenario points out, number 1 is the highest position. So 1 is above 2, which is above 3, etc. When the rule says that the team in position 5 plays the team immediately above it, that means team 4.

Robert Carroll