Attacking the LG Local Questions

[Marce]

Based on lesson one of this LSAT course, "Each initial rules in a game applies to each and every question; however, on occasion a question will explicitly suspend one or more rules for the purposes of that question only."
I am struggling with improving on harder LG questions and I need to know when a question does "suspend one or more rules for the purposes of that question", do ALL the other initial rules that aren't suspended still apply to that question ?? It gets really confusing for me with local questions. What's the best way to attack and get local questions correct?

[Adam Tyson]

Thanks for the question, Marce, and it's very timely, as I was just having this discussion last night with my class and again this afternoon with one of my tutoring students.

First, when you are supposed to suspend or replace one of the global rules for a local question, they will tell you explicitly that they are doing so. If they don't make it clear from the question that you are to disregard or alter one of the original rules, then they all still apply. Typically, when they do this, it will only be on the last question of the game, and they will also explicitly tell you that all the remaining rules still apply. For example, look at Question 5 of Game 1 in Lesson 3, on page 3-20 and 3-21 of your course book. That question tells you to change one of the original rules (about G and H not being next to each other) but to leave all the other rules in place. That's the way they should work.

You'll see plenty more examples as you work through the course. Be patient, and your instructor will help you work through them. Remember, on all games you should assume nothing, but rely solely on what they tell you. If they don't tell you that a rule is suspended, it isn't!

The best way to attack local questions (those that start with "if" or "suppose", creating a temporary new restriction for that question only) is usually to draw a new, simplified version of your main diagram that incorporates the new restriction. We sometimes call that a "mini diagram". It should be a rough sketch of your main diagram, just to capture the new restriction and any inferences you can make based on the original rules and their interaction with the local rule. For example, if your game has a global rule that P is always immediately before W, and you get a local question that says "if P is 3rd, which of the following must be true", you would draw out the slots for your base, place P in the 3rd slot, and then place W in the 4th slot. Then see what else must be true based on other rules.

Be patient, all will be explained in time! Be sure to ask questions during your class. I know as an instructor that a class full of questions is much better, much more interesting and engaging and helpful, than a room full of quiet people!

Enjoy the course, and keep at it!

[Marce]

Hi Adam,

Thank you for the detailed explanation, Im actually done with the course since Feb and am scheduled to take the LSAT in Dec due to my unpreparedness. On pg. 3-21, # 3 isn't this a local game that adds an extra rule (If M fills some track before the of J) apart from the initial set of rules?
Please advise how this type of question is tackled. Thanks in advance.

[Adam Tyson]

For that local question, where M is before both J and K, you have at least two choices for your approach. One is to draw a new local diagram, with H before L before M before J and K, and then play around a little to see where it can go. You'll quickly discover that all your variables are very tightly restricted. H can only be first or third, L can only be third or fourth, etc. G is the only one that moves around freely - it can go anywhere except second, because F is always in that spot. Notice that two wrong answers try to limit G to one or two places.

The other approach is to do all that in your head wirh no local diagram. You might quickly realize that the local rule plus the global rules have now accounted for everything except G in a sequence, and come to the same inferences as described above without the need of a picture. That's a little more advanced, and for now, in practice, I'd recommend you use the first method until you get good enough to occasionally skip the diagramming. As I often say, when in doubt, draw it out! That's what we teach as the standard approach for most local questions.

[Marce]

Thanks Adam, I will def diagram it for now!