Numerical Dist. ID/Use — TV Executive example

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Yusra,

This is one reason I love this drill example—it really turns people upside down and proves whether they have this concept down rock solid Let's go through some point here that will hopefully help you to get better down the line:

1. "Generally speaking, I often understand the receiver set to be the spaces, base, or groups within the game diagram, is that a correct description of the receiver set?" Often this is the case, but it doesn't have to be. You can actually make distributions of almost anything to anything, it's just that some aren't that helpful. For example, in this drill, there is a distribution of advertisements to days, as triggered by this rule, "Exactly one advertisement is scheduled to air each day": 1-1-1-1-1. It's fundamental, but writing it out doesn't add any info to what we are doing (and it will be built into the diagram naturally as we make one space above each day, so it's internally handled). This diagram shows that distribution, which is one space to each day:

• ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
  M   T      W  Th  F

So, the takeaway here is not to assume that what you have every time is a receiver set that is always spaces. This looks to be where you feel into trouble, since you talked about the 1-1-1-1-1 as the "minimum." It is, but for a different distribution entirely than the one being analyzed in the book

2. So, what is the different distribution, and how does that play into the comment I made about minimums?

The distribution in the book is built around "days to advertisements." In other words, the number of times each advertisement is aired, which is the reverse of advertisements to days (which is fixed at 1-1-1-1-1).

Taking a closer look at what the distribution represents, it is the number of time each of the 5 advertisements airs. If you look at each distribution, you'll note how it states things like, "Two advertisements air twice, one advertisement airs once, and two advertisements do not air." This means that each number ultimately corresponds to an advertisement (namely A, B, C, D, and E) and those numbers indicate how many times each will air (but they aren't in A, B, C, D, and E order).

Just to be clear, looking at that first distribution for example, the 2-2-1-0-0 means that two of the ads air twice (that's the 2-2 part, which could be any two of A, B, C, D, and E), one ad airs a single time (1), and at that point we have our 5 ads for the week since there will always be 5. There's no room for the other two ads, and thus they don't air (0-0).

Thus, the "minimum" that opens up the door here is that some advertisements don't have to be aired (so they aren't set at 1 or above," and can instead be "0," which is a minimum, I realize, but it's also an unexpected one, and when variables do not have to be used (what I mean by no minimums) it then opens up more options.

So, take a close look at this one because if they do something like this again, it will knock out a lot of people. the key area to focus on is Which distribution am I looking at? you got them confused above, and it made the whole thing far more confusing. No problem though, this is why we prep beforehand

Thanks!


Internal Note: other threads on this same topic:

https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=3069
https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=7121

[francieshaffer]

In the section in chapter 9 discussing numerical distributions, I came across an example on explaining numerical distributions that confused me a bit. Here is the example:

A television executive is deciding the scheduling for five advertisements–A, B, C, D, and E–to be aired during one week, from Monday through Friday. The schedule must accord with the following:
- Exactly one advertisement is scheduled to air each day.
- No advertisement can air more than two days per week.

Following this example, it is outlined that there are three possible distributions:
#1: 2-2-1-0-0
#2: 2-1-1-1-0
#3: 1-1-1-1-1

I was confused about this because it states "exactly ONE advertisement is scheduled to air each day" so how would it be possible for 0 advertisements to be scheduled on a day (as distributions 1 & 2 allow)?

I think I might be reading/understanding this wrong and it might be the wording that is confusing me (e.g. the word "scheduled"), but from my interpretation, I just don't see how a distribution that allows one or two of the days to have 0 advertisements would work according to that specific rule.

I would like some more clarification on the wording and everything so I don't make a mistake in the future!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Francie,

I just posted an in-depth answer to a similar question about this same drill on Friday, so I'm going to start by linking you to that reply and seeing if it helps answer your question. That reply is listed above. Please check that out when you get a chance!

If that doesn't clear it up, please let me know and I'll come back and further explain. Thanks!

[francieshaffer]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for clearing that up! I did make the small (but costly) error of confusing the days of the week with the advertisements. Upon reading your post, this was cleared up for me. Thank you!