Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Basic Linear: Balanced, Identify the Templates game.

There are six folders in numerical order, so they should be the base of the game. Instead of creating multiple stacks for the courses and for the times, instead simply combine the times and courses and create six unique variables: FM, FN, FO, SM, SN, and SO. In accordance with the first rule, these six variables can then be placed into the six folders, creating a Basic Linear: Balanced game. When the second and third rules are internally diagrammed, we get the following basic structure for the game:

D92_Game_#2_setup_diagram 1.png

However, there is a further inference to be made. If folders 1 and 2 contain the same subject, then there are only two subjects remaining for the four folders (spring and fall of each subject means four course offerings). Because folders 3 and 4 contain different subjects, we can then infer that folders 5 and 6 must also contain different subjects:

D92_Game_#2_setup_diagram 2.png

This inference is tested in question #12.

The fourth and fifth rules establish a dual-option for FM and SO on folders 1 and 4, and the sixth rule establishes an SN Not Law on folder 5:

D92_Game_#2_setup_diagram 3.png

The second, third, fourth, and fifth rules are so restrictive that they suggest that there are a limited number of solutions to this game. The best approach then, is to create two templates based on the dual-options in folders 1 and 4.

Template #1: FM in folder 1, SO in folder 4

In this template, SM must be in folder 2 according to the second rule. Folder 3 must contain either SN or FN, and because SN cannot be in folder 5 according to the last rule, SN is in folder 3 or 6:

D92_Game_#2_setup_diagram 4.png

Template #2: FM in folder 4, SO in folder 1

In this template, FO must be in folder 2 according to the second rule. Folder 3 must contain either SN or FN, and because SN cannot be in folder 5 according to the last rule, SN is in folder 3 or 6:

D92_Game_#2_setup_diagram 5.png

With these two templates, the game is easy to attack.

[z.em]

Hello,

When diagraming this problem I thought that making stacks for the fall/spring subjects was easier since each season would be in the folder. So my base was folders 1-6 and then on top of each would be a fall/spring subject. But the book diagrams it in a way where only one of the seasons is in each folder. How can we make that inference from the rules they gave us?

[Shannon Parker]

Hi,

The best way of looking at it is that there are six distinct course offerings Mf, Nf Of, Ms, Ns, Os. Rule 1 states that each folder contains only the orders one of the six offerings. Thus no folder will have both spring and fall orders. Hope this helps.


~Shannon

[kch0522]

Hi Shannon -

Like z.em, I initially setup the game with two layers - but unfortunately didn't get far.

1 - Could you accurately set this game up with two layers?

2 - Additionally, what specifically in the game scenario/description hints at creating a basic linear/one layer game?

3 - Sure, each folder contains only the order for one of the six course offerings, but couldn't you accurately reflect that in a two layer setup? In the end there should be six course offerings on the diagram (i.e., 2 M, 2 N and 2 O), and I'd think an "F" or "S" in the second layer would be equivalent to an "F" or "S" subscript.

Where am I going wrong here?

Many thanks,
Kyle

[Malila Robinson]

Hi kch0522,
There are certainly different ways to set this up. You should generally try to do the most simple (but still complete) setup possible in order to save time. Subscripts with a basic linear setup will usually be faster to set up when you need to re-do your initial chart for different questions.
But yes, it sounds like the way you did it was to have 1-6 as the base, then one row for the subject, and one row for F/S. That will work, it is just more writing. And since time is often a factor on the LSAT, mastering the subscript shortcut may be the way to go.
Hope that helps,
-Malila