#5 - Local, Could Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10632)

The correct answer choice is (A)

Answer choice (B) forces U and I on Thursday and H and Z on Friday, a violation of the two-on-one-day rule. Answer choice (C) forces a double on Tuesday and on Thursday, since either K or O would have to go on Thursday. Answer choice (D) forces three variables onto Thursday, a violation of the rules. Answer choice (E) forces three variables, U, H, and Z, onto Friday, again a violation of the rules. Answer choice (A), the correct answer, can be proven by the following hypothetical:

J93_Game_#1_#5_diagram 1.png

[ashnicng]

Hello!
Besides writing hypotheticals for each choice, is there a more efficient way to answer this question?
Thanks!

[George George]

@ashnicng Unfortunately, no, you would have to test out answers (but not all of them - see below!) and here's why: The rules leave open too many possibilities to do templates that would more efficiently attack the problem. This is because you can have U on the same day as H or you can have U on the day immediately before H. So, to my knowledge, this actually yields six templates, which is more than if you just tested out answer choices individually. (BTWs, the templates would be as follows: (1) placing U on Monday, and H on Tuesday {works}; (2) placing U on Tuesday and H on Wednesday [but this wouldn't work because of the Rule 3 KO/OK block]; (3) placing U on Wednesday and H on Thursday {works}; (4) placing UH together on Monday {works}; (5) placing UH together on Tuesday [but this wouldn't work because it violates the initial scenario's Fixed Numerical Distribution requirement that the coach only have 1 day where two are coached consecutively]; and, finally, (6) placing UH on Thursday [but this wouldn't work because it violates Rule 3's KO/OK block].

Here's the takeaway: If you don't see an easy way to approach a Local Q by diagramming it out in advance into 2 or 3 templates, it's best just to start testing out answer choices. However, you can often cut down on your work by eliminating clear rule violators in Could Be True Local Qs. For example, here, answers (B), (C), and (E) were prima facie rule violators. (B) and (E) both attempt to place H on Friday, which violates a Not Law from the setup (per Rule 1: H - Z!). And (C) violates the scenario's Fixed Numeric Distribution. Left with a 50/50 between (A) and (D), you can then choose to test out only one of the remaining answers: Either it works, and you pick it(!), or it doesn't work, and you pick the last answer standing!

[Mariam]

Hello- I understand why A is correct. But why is C incorrect? Why can't the distribution be K/O on Monday, U and H on Tuesday, K/O or Z on Wednesday and Friday?

[Jeremy Press]

Hi Mariam!

That wouldn't work because of the third rule, stating that "K's session is always scheduled for the day immediately before or the day immediately after the day for which O's session is scheduled." In your distribution, they're separated from each other by at least one day, which that third rule doesn't permit.

I hope this helps!

Jeremy