Pure Sequencing Wording

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Hi!

We recently received the following question from a student. An instructor will respond below. Thanks!

Hello,

I have purchased all powerscore bibles to study for the LSAT and they are great.

However, I have come across the pure sequencing game chapter and I'm stuck with the drills and wording of heavy v. light, short v. tall, large v. small, fast v. slow diagramming. I'm trying to diagram but my diagramming is the flip and opposite of the book answers.

As far as it comes to wording of sequence or order of before and after, I have no problem but the terminology mentioned above I'm getting stuck and frustrated not knowing where, which direction am I suppose to put the variables in regards to heavy v. light, short v. tall, large v. small, fast v. slow.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Best,
Mariam

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Mariam,

Thanks for the message! there's a page earlier in the book that you should refer to, which is page 40 (2018 edition) and the section titled "Left/Right Diagramming Terminology." This talks about the exact issues you refer to, and since Sequencing games are a form of Linear games (which is the chapter I'm sending you to), it applies fully. The quick takeaway there is that usually the "smaller" numbers/quantities are to the left, and the larger are to the right, and so it would go:

• light heavy
  short tall
  small large
  slow fast

Here's the second piece of good news is that even if you get it "backwards," it largely won't make a difference because you will simply produce a diagram that is the exact reverse of the ones in the book. You would then be able to answer the questions just as successfully

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

[k100]

Hello,

I have some questions on diagramming the direction of pure sequencing games pertaining to the drills on p. 446 of the LR Bible (2019). For #1 and #3, I diagrammed in reverse because if something is more expensive (#1) or someone is older (#3), I thought they should be on the right side. Here are my diagrams:

1) (N E) (B R)

3) (T R) C

F
D

(The coding doesn't seem to work when I insert spaces, but it should read as both C and D being on the left of F).

Considering that the left/right diagramming terminology section states higher numbers (in this case, price and age) to be on the right, I'm confused why the answer key diagrams them differently than mine. As to what Dave said in the previous post, I'm confused how the reverse diagrams wouldn't make a difference — it seems like it could potentially be very dangerous!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi k100,

A couple things: notice that Dave used "usually" in his post, to describe the normal procedure we at PowerScore tend to follow. But that doesn't mean it must be used in all circumstances.

In general, I'd prefer you not to think in terms of what "should" be on the left or right in pure sequencing diagrams. Rather, think about which end of the spectrum makes most sense to you as occupying the left space, and be consistent with your choice as you diagram each of the rules.

The solutions you see in the Bible to those questions are not "wrong," so long as you envision the left end of the spectrum to be the most expensive, or oldest, thing, and so long as you envision the right end of the spectrum to be the least expensive, or youngest thing.

That said, your diagrams are perfectly fine, assuming YOU envision (and that's the real key, what YOU envision) the right end of the spectrum to be the most expensive, or oldest, thing.

So it really doesn't matter as long as you stay consistent in your "vision" of the spectrum and always (in this game) diagram everything according to what you see as the most sensible "leftmost" and "rightmost" extreme.

I hope this helps!

Jeremy