#8 - Global, Could Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=4898)

The correct answer choice is (A)

As noted during the setup discussion (lsat/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=4898) of the inference resulting from the combination of the first and second rules, J and N cannot both be assigned ambassadorships, and hence answer choice (A) is correct.

[scai10]

I read question 8 to mean, which two candidates could be the two that are NOT assigned an ambassadorship. I picked A by going through all of the possibilities of the candidates, if the answer choices' candidates were not assigned (KLO, KLN, JNO, etc.).

However, in the answer explanations, it simply says A is correct because J N. That's an inference I did see, but I don't understand why because both cannot be chosen, it automatically means that those two could be NOT assigned together.

Or did I misinterpret the question. Does the question actually mean which candidates cannot both be assigned an ambassadorship at the same time? If so, that question is written in a confusing manner!

[Jon Denning]

Hey scai,

Thanks for the question, and welcome to the Forum!

This question is just asking what two people could both be unassigned simultaneously (out together, as I think of it). So who could we pull out and still leave three people to satisfy the assignment rules?

The J N inference just comes from the first two rules: if J is assigned then so is K, and K and N can't be together. So J brings K, which knocks out N, meaning J and N cannot be together.

Of course, that's only a problem if they're in together; they can both be out without an issue:

Kv , Oy , Lz assigned; J and N not assigned

So (A) is correct because with J and N out, you'd have K, O, and L in and that can work!

That also means the other four answers present "out" pairs that are impossible, as follows:

(B) with J and O out, you'd have K and N both in and violate a rule
(C) with K and L out, you'd have J in without K and violate a rule (remember, J needs K!)
(D) with K and N out, you'd again have J in without K and violate a rule
(E) with L and O out, you'd have K and N both in and violate a rule

So even if you were a little uncertain about (A), a quick progression through the remaining options should have allowed you to knock them out pretty easily.

I hope that helps to clarify this question, and also emphasize how important it is to focus on both groups, in and out, when you have Overfunded Grouping games!