#16 - Global, Cannot Be True, FTT, Except

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=16977)

The correct answer choice is (B)

As shown in possibilities #5 and #6 in the setup explanation, P can attend a restaurant alone, and thus answer choice (B) is correct.

[Dave Killoran]

We received the following question:

Hello Power Score,

I have been emotionally frustrated with the September 1998 Games (13-18).
I have searched everyone online for a better explanation for question 16. Unfortunately,
the explanation in the book is not very helpful.

In question 16, it asks for "Must Be False, EXCEPT"

I don't understand why B is correct, considering that Pike is not the only person that can go to the restaurant,
considering the following:

N - Soccer
O - Movie
P - Restaurant
T - Soccer
V - Restaurant

In this scenario, both Pike and Valdez can go to the movie, therefore wouldn't "B"s statement be false?

Hi,

Thanks very much for the question! I've always found this to be a tougher game than it looks like it will be at first glance.

In #16, lets start with the question stem, which has a lot going on! "Must be false" is equivalent to "cannot be true," and so this is a Cannot Be True Except question. Thus, the four incorrect answers cannot occur, and the one correct answer can occur. So, if you can show just one scenario where the condition in the answer choice occurs, then it will be correct. For answer choice (B), that means that you need to show that P can be the only one to go to a restaurant in just one scenario. Just show that it can happen.

I think the wording of the question stem may have caused you an issue, because in your explanation you show a scenario where two people go to a restaurant. That hypothetical just shows that it doesn't always have to be the case that only one person goes to a restaurant, and it still allows for a scenario that would show (B) is possible.

Since we only need a single hypothetical to prove (B) is possible and therefore correct, let's show one:

• T N
  O V P
  __ __ __
  M S R

Thus, the result in answer choice (B) can occur, and that is enough for (B) to be proven correct.

Looking back, it appears to me that you understood the game and the rules well enough to get this question correct, but that the wording of the stem threw you off. So, go back and look at the wording on some complex questions, namely those involving "false to true" conversions and those involving words such as "except" and "least." you want to make sure that nothing like this trips you up on the real thing.

Thanks!