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- Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:00 am
#41353
Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation
This is an Unbalanced: Underfunded Basic Linear game.
A careful reading of the rules reveals that there are several numerical options available for the assignment of firefighters to days, and thus what appears to be a simple linear game is actually somewhat complex. Because numbers always play an important role in Logic Games, let us take a moment to review how you could have recognized that this game was not a simple 1-to-1 relationship:
1. The game scenario never specifies that each firefighter must work.
2. The second rule reveals that some firefighters are able to work more than one day per week.
With the understanding that not all of the firefighters must work, the rules are no longer simple blocks and sequences. Instead, for the rules to be in effect, you must know that all of the firefighters mentioned in each rule are working. Otherwise, the rule is not in force.
The third rule is shown as a CC not-block, which is more efficient than showing each of the five firefighters in individually lettered not-blocks.
The fourth rule is now conditional, as F and J must both work in order for the F J sequence to apply. Because the rule only enacts if both F and J work, no Not Laws can be drawn.
The fifth rule is also conditional, and only occurs when H works. Of course, via the contrapositive, if G does not work, then H cannot work, and the other three firefighters would be in the 2-2-1 distribution. Note that the conditional nature of this rule means that G could be the first firefighter to work, a scenario that can occur if H does not work. Thus, no G Not Law appears under Monday.
This is an Unbalanced: Underfunded Basic Linear game.
A careful reading of the rules reveals that there are several numerical options available for the assignment of firefighters to days, and thus what appears to be a simple linear game is actually somewhat complex. Because numbers always play an important role in Logic Games, let us take a moment to review how you could have recognized that this game was not a simple 1-to-1 relationship:
1. The game scenario never specifies that each firefighter must work.
- Many students make the mistake of assuming that because five firefighters are listed, that all five must work. However, if that is the case, you will always see confirmation of that fact in either the game scenario or rules. This game contains no such confirmation, and so it is not the case that every firefighter must work. Do not make the mistake of assuming that the first rule states that every firefighter works. Instead, the first rule indicates that exactly one firefighter is assigned each day (and not that every firefighter is assigned).
Remember, the statements that are omitted in the rules are just as important as the statements that are made.
2. The second rule reveals that some firefighters are able to work more than one day per week.
- The second rule directly addresses numbers, and so this is the most apparent tip-off that something is going on with the firefighter assignments in this game. While this rule limits firefighters to no more than two days worked, applying this rule in combination with the point made in item #1 above leads us to three unfixed numerical distributions for the game:
2-2-1: Two firefighters work two days each, one firefighter works one day.
Two firefighters do not work.
2-1-1-1: One firefighter works two days, three firefighters each work one day.
One firefighter does not work.
1-1-1-1-1: Each firefighter works one day. When this distribution is in play, the game acts like a standard Basic Linear game.
With the understanding that not all of the firefighters must work, the rules are no longer simple blocks and sequences. Instead, for the rules to be in effect, you must know that all of the firefighters mentioned in each rule are working. Otherwise, the rule is not in force.
The third rule is shown as a CC not-block, which is more efficient than showing each of the five firefighters in individually lettered not-blocks.
The fourth rule is now conditional, as F and J must both work in order for the F J sequence to apply. Because the rule only enacts if both F and J work, no Not Laws can be drawn.
The fifth rule is also conditional, and only occurs when H works. Of course, via the contrapositive, if G does not work, then H cannot work, and the other three firefighters would be in the 2-2-1 distribution. Note that the conditional nature of this rule means that G could be the first firefighter to work, a scenario that can occur if H does not work. Thus, no G Not Law appears under Monday.
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Dave Killoran
PowerScore Test Preparation
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PowerScore Test Preparation
Follow me on X/Twitter at http://twitter.com/DaveKilloran
My LSAT Articles: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/author/dave-killoran
PowerScore Podcast: http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/podcast/