Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Basic Linear: Balanced game.

October 05_game#1_M12_L3_explanations_game#2_setup_diagram_1.png

The rules in this game are straightforward and most students find them easy to diagram.

The first two rules generate some easy Not Laws:

• The first rule creates two Not Laws: because Q is displayed before W, Q cannot be displayed last and W cannot be displayed first.
  
  The second rule creates two Not Laws: because R is displayed immediately before X, R cannot be displayed last and X cannot be displayed first. The last Not Law is directly tested in the first question.

The combination of the second and last rules generates two more Not Laws:

• Because Q or T is always displayed fourth, and R and X are consecutive, R cannot be displayed third and X cannot be displayed fifth.

Finally, the combination of the first, third, and last rules leads to a very difficult Not Law:

• When W is displayed third an untenable situation results: Q cannot be displayed fourth because it must be displayed ahead of W, leaving T in the fourth position next to W. Because that scenario violates the third rule, W can never be displayed third.

[elysia]

Hi Powerscore Staff,

I am wondering, how does one develop a mindset that can determine or even consider looking for an inference such as the last Not Law("When W is displayed third an untenable situation results...") in the Administrator's explanation?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[Emily Haney-Caron]

Hi Elysia,

Welcome to the forum! That's an excellent question. Inferences like the last one in the above post really come from practicing a ton. That's the kind of thing that you learn to look for by understanding how rules and variables interact with each other across many, many games; you start to get a sense of when you have all the inferences and how to spot interactions between rules that might lead to another important inference. At first, you might find that you discover that kind of rule by accident partway through the game, and that's ok; when you do spot it (likely on a question where it comes into play), make a note of it, and go back at the end to look closely at how the inference is formed and the impact it has. Spending that kind of time will be a big help later, because you'll really start to get a feel for it.

[elysia]

Thank you for your insight Emily!!

[T.B.Justin]

Can this be considered a partially-defined game, since it does not include a rule for P?

[Charlie Melman]

That's right, although it's much more defined than undefined.