Setup and Rule Diagrams

[ncolicci11]

Hi Powerscore,

I am a little confused on how to most efficiently proceed with this game once the rules are accounted for. Particularly, with it being so open, how should I approach identifying the numerical distribution? I did not see or pull many inferences and I am not sure how to move forward!

Thanks!

[Adam Tyson]

A numerical distribution should be considered any time you see an imbalance between the number of variables available to be placed and the number of spaces in which to place them. Here, we have to fill 6 slots in the base, but we have only 4 variables with which to do that, so you have to consider what those numbers require. Someone has to be used more than once! Since everyone must be used, that either means that one person goes three times or else two people go twice.

From there, you might give some thought to who the more restricted variables are, and how those number impact those variables. For example, if G was to be used three times, one of those three times it would have to be paired with J, violating the last rule, so G cannot go three times. Same thing with J, for the same reason. So if we are in a 3-1-1-1 situation, that 3 must be either H or M. But maybe G or J could go twice?

In logic games, you should always think about the numbers. Always! They may have little impact, like in a game with 8 variables being divided into two groups of 4 with everyone used exactly once. But what if in that same situation, not everyone had to be used? Then you could have to think about the minimum number of variables required, and how many could be used twice, and how many you could leave out of the game, etc. Always be aware of numbers!

While templates are not always advisable, if you are stuck try doing the list question if there is one. If you are still stuck, try one or two hypothetical situations. What happens if G moves the sofa? What if J moves two pieces of furniture? Play around a bit to get a better sense of how the game works, and that may lead to some inferences and an overall easier time with the questions.

[Vasilia]

Hi,

I have a quick question about the rule in this game: since every person can be in multiple places, then the second rule if Josh moves the table, then Maria moves the recliner, does this mean when Josh moves the table, Maria can only occur once, that's to move the recliner, and there can't be Maria first move the recliner and also moves sofa/table.

Thanks.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Vasilia!

We know that if Josh moves the table, Maria must move the recliner, but it doesn't say that Maria only moves the recliner. If Josh moves the table, Maria at least moves the recliner, but she could also move the sofa and/or the table in addition to the recliner. If the rule doesn't specify that the recliner is the only piece of furniture that Maria moves, then we shouldn't assume that she cannot move other pieces of furniture as well!

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[Ari]

Hello!

I am frustrated with the first question, number 7. It seems like it should be so easy, but I have done this game a couple times and I always pick D. Can someone explain why D is wrong/A is right? I saw the "if and only if" and knew to diagram the rules with double arrows. However, I think I am getting stuck because I do not understand the contrapositive with a double arrow. A and D appear to me to be the same. Thank you in advance!

Ari

[Adam Tyson]

Hey Ari, thanks for the question! I'll answer it for you in the thread for that question, which can be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=160&t=34041

[emilyjmyer]

Hi!

I always see in the Powerscore set up explanations that you guys take the time to notice how many variables will be repeated. For example, in this case it is either 2-2-1-1- or 3-1-1-1 situation. This is something that never crosses my mind when doing my setups.

How do we know if it is a game where we should be doing this? And how do we figure it out?

Thanks!

[emilyjmyer]

Additionally, in the set ups where you figured out what happens in those 3-1-1-1 and 2-2-1-1 scenarios I am pretty confused. Could you please explain that?

[emilyjmyer]

Hi Nadia,

Thanks for the question. It’s in Lesson 4 Homework, on pages 4-28 and 4-29.

Thanks!

Where is the Overlap Principle in the new books? Or, what is the overlap principle?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Emily,

In the student center, the Overlap Principle is discussed in the Lesson 4 homework, under "Additional Reading" starting on page 6 of that PDF.

Turning to this game, we are clued into the distribution aspect of the game by the unequal sets. We have 3 groups of 2 movers (for a total of 6 moving slots), and 4 people who can move. That means we have more slots to fill than movers to fill those slots, and we want to track that imbalance.

We do so by using a numerical distribution. We distribute those six slots across those four people. We start by doing the most extreme distribution---by putting as many slots to one mover as possible while still allowing all the movers to have at least one piece of furniture to move. For each mover to have exactly one piece of furniture to move, we'd use 4 of the six slots (one slot per mover). We'd still have two slots left to fill, and we'd start by filling them all by the same person. That means one person would move 3 pieces of furniture, and the others would all move 1 each for a 3-1-1-1 distribution.

We also know something else in this case about the distribution. We know that neither G nor J can be our 3 pieces of furniture mover, because they cannot move the same piece of furniture as one another. If G or J moves all 3, they would have to overlap with all the other movers. Not ok. That's how we know our 3 mover in the 3-1-1-1 scenario has to be either H or M.

The other way we can distribute the extra 2 moving slots is over 2 movers, for a 2-2-1-1 distribution. In this scenario, J and G cannot both be the 2s. That's because there would have to be at least one piece of furniture that would be an overlap between the two 2s. So in this scenario at least one of the G/Js would have to only move one piece of furniture.

In regards to how to know when to do this, you may want to review Lesson 9 a bit. But personally, I check the numerical distribution on every single game. 7/10 times, you'll see the distribution is a 1-1, or exactly one spot for each variable. But by checking each game, I make sure I don't miss a situation where the distribution is different and more critical to the overall game. I treat it as a final rule in every game set-up, and it's an automatic thing to check for me.

Hope that helps!