Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Pure Sequencing game.

Because Pure Sequencing is generally favorable for most test takers, this was an excellent way to begin this particular LSAT.

Use the Pure Sequencing Diagramming Guidelines to create the following diagram:

December 2000_game#1_M12_L1_explanations_game#2_setup_diagram_1.png

In creating the sequence diagram, the most problematic television program is S. S is less popular than both Q and L, but Q and L are in separate branches. We have solved this problem by placing S at the terminus of two lines (one from Q, and one from L), and then circling S.

As with most Pure Sequencing games, this one is built on top of a linear relationship. H must be the most popular television program and only J or L could be second. Since S cannot be seventh, P or V must be the least popular. With this information we can attack the questions, watching the following two areas:

• 1. In Pure Sequencing games the test makers always check to see whether you will make unwarranted assumptions about the relationships between the variables.
  
  
  2. Via Local questions, the test makers typically introduce new relationships into the sequence to test your understanding of how the original relationships are affected.

[srcline@noctrl.edu]

Hello

How would I set up a chain for this and not get confused. The rules were fairly easy to understand but I had no idea how to keep track of the inferences. All I got was :

H>J>Q
-------
L>S
----
V

Thankyou
Sarah

[Jon Denning]

Hey Sarah - thanks for the question!

This game ultimately produces one large "chain" linking each of the seven variables together, and leads to a few key inferences in terms of placement options: H must be 1st, either J or L is 2nd, and either P or V is 7th.

Here's a quick look at the setup and base:

D00g1.png

However, before I go too much deeper, take a look at Lesson 1 in your course book and see if you have a setup written out for Game #2 (in the lesson itself). This is the second game introduced in that lesson, so I feel like there's a good chance you may have done it previously, and possibly even in class. If so, that should give you a much better idea of exactly what the whole game with questions and all looks like (there was also a full explanation with a step-by-step breakdown in your Online Student Center during your class, so again I feel like checking your course book might resolve the setup for you, and certainly the shot above should help too)

As for avoiding confusion during the game, I think once you work through it with the setup provided (here or in your book) you'll find it to be much, much easier, and of course the same principles apply here as elsewhere: practice, practice, practice until you reach a level of comfort and confidence that you can then count on come test day.

Let me know if that helps! Thanks!

[Tommy2456]

Hello, I too had issues on this question on the setup, I don't get why there is a chain being used. How do you get that setup out of this game? Are there certain keywords that hinted to you? Also, I am confused as to why H always has to be first and P/V seventh. Can you please explain? This was a rough question to get for me.

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi Tommy,

This is an example of a fairly straightforward Pure Sequencing game, a type that we discuss in depth in all of our LSAT prep courses, as well as in the Logic Games Bible (and Workbook).

Pure Sequencing games involve the ranking or ordering of variables. The key to recognizing a pure sequencing game is that the relationships between the variables are relative and not precisely fixed. For example, a rule might state that “Lopez’s salary is greater than Nassar’s salary.” From this rule, we know only that Lopez makes more than Nassar, but not how much more. Lopez could make just a dollar more than Nassar, or thousands of dollars more than Nassar. We also have no idea where they stand on the salary scale: Lopez could be making $100,000 a year or $100 a year. This uncertainty over the specifics of each relationship is inherent in sequencing games, which is why we tend to represent these relationships using a sequencing chain, rather than a linear base.

To answer your question about H - in the simplest of terms, H must the most popular program because all other programs must be less popular than H. As you can see from the first rule, J and L are each less popular than H, and all of the remaining variables are less popular than either J or L (second, third, and fourth rules). The sequencing chain posted above represents all of these relationships, clearly showing that no other variable can be first, except for H.

As far as the least popular program is concerned, that program cannot be S (last rule), H (first rule), J (second rule), L (third rule), or Q (fourth rule). Clearly, then, that program must be either P or V.

Hope this helps!

[Tommy2456]

Thank you so much! This helped a lot. I am going to try it again.

[jailenea]

I understand why H must come first (everything in the big chain sequence [6 letters] comes after).

However, that is not visual without the big chain link. Say someone didn't notice that long chain reaction and didn't form it, but rather had each rule written separately:
H - J & L
J - Q
L - S & V
Q - P & S
S is not 7th.

Simply by following these deductions, you could deduce that Q or H could go in spot 1.

How would you work around that? Would you just play the game and see how it plays out? Or am I missing something and Q can't go in 1 regardless of whether it's made clear in the big chain? I feel I'm missing something.

[Robert Carroll]

jailenea,

First, the fact that it's more difficult to tell where things can go when you don't assemble a big chain is exactly why we do form big chains like we did. It's just the better way to do things in Pure Sequencing games, and we would never want to be in the position of not making connections that we can make. It's part of our approach here at PowerScore to Pure Sequencing - make the biggest chain possible.

In this case, you have that J is more popular than Q as the second rule you wrote down. That proves to you that Q cannot be first.

Robert Carroll

[Tbird624]

anychance I can get a explanation on question 5 from this game?

[Stephanie Oswalt]

anychance I can get a explanation on question 5 from this game?

Hi Tbird,

Thanks for the post! Yes, you can find a full explanation on #5 here: viewtopic.php?f=274&t=11016. Thanks!