#2 - Local, Must Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=7371)

The correct answer choice is (D)

If John passes all of his courses, then he does not receive an E in any course, and his grade possibilities are only A, B, C, or D.

Because his geology grade is higher than language block (G IR or G RI), at a minimum the geology, Italian, and Russian grades must be three separate grades. This could be A-B-C, A-C-D, or B-C-D. However, since his geology grade is one grade higher than his physics grade, at a minimum the geology, physics, Italian, and Russian grades must be either A-B-C, B-C-D, or A-B-C-D:

J92_Game_#1_#2_diagram 1.png

In each instance, at least one B and one C must be assigned, and so answer choice (D) is correct.

[acp25]

Aloha!

Thank you for your diagram. It helped! However, I want to ask why E & H are not diagrammed.

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, ACP,

Good question! Basically in the explanations we provide enough of a diagram to show what is necessary to answer the question and occasionally exclude "extra" information that doesn't lead to the answer.

It's not "wrong" to diagram additional information; in fact, the extra info can be quite helpful as a resource to help answer later global questions. However, in our illustrations we endeavor to show the most direct and efficient path to the solution. Thus you may notice that we only partially diagram certain LG questions.

I hope this helps!

[hope]

Why can we ASSUME that either I or R is not the same grade as P? Why can't either I or R be the same grade as P?

[hope]

I forgot to ask why in the explanation I and R is shown as a minimum ABC ACD BCD? But when P comes into the mix, I and R's ACD goes away which means there is no template for that combination. The only templates made are ABC BCD and ABCD. Thanks.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Hope!

I'm not sure I understand your first question here--I/R can be in the same grade as P, as shown in options #2 and #3 above. We just can't have both I/R in the same grade as P because rule #2 tells us that the grades for I and R are consecutive. Meaning I and R are in different but adjacent grades.

The possibilities A-B-C, A-C-D, and B-C-D are just the options for where G, I, and R can go since we know that they each have to be in different grades. Those initial options don't consider P. When P is included, the A-C-D option doesn't go away--it's option #1: G is in A and I/R in C and D. In that case, P would have to be in B.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[hope]

I've got to meditate on this one a while. But I am sure that when my meditation is complete, I will understand it. Thanks again Kelsey.

[parisielvirac]

hi there I'm confused why
R and I are show in the same slot and then separate slots on #1
this doesn't help answer the question efficiently
can you explain why the answer would not be E?
It makes no sense to me

[Jeremy Press]

Hi parisielvirac,

I see where your confusion is with the diagram! When we show a slot with two variables with a backslash between them (like I/R on the C grade in Option #1 in the original post), what we mean is that one of the two of those variables (not both) will occupy that slot. So what Option #1 from the original post shows (in an efficient way) is that there are two possibilities, in that one option, for arranging I and R. Here's what they look like:

Screen Shot 2021-05-03 at 1.24.44 PM.png

If we meant to depict BOTH variables occupying a single slot, we'd stack them on top of each other. In this game, that's impossible, because John cannot get the same grade in Italian and Russian. But if he could, this is what that would look like (if, e.g., he got a C grade in both):

Screen Shot 2021-05-03 at 1.26.38 PM.png

The reason answer choice E is incorrect is that it does not HAVE to be true here, because (as Option #2 in the original post shows) John could potentially receive zero D grades. That means he wouldn't be receiving at least one C AND at least one D. Here are two possibilities (though they're not the only ones!) that show John doesn't have to receive a D under the conditions in this question:

Screen Shot 2021-05-03 at 1.32.20 PM.png

I hope this helps!

[pbui5300]

Hello,

Can you explain the word "either" in the phrase "receives a higher grade in geology than in either language"? I interpreted this as "geology is higher than either Italian or Russian" so as long as one language is lower than G, the other language can be anywhere. Therefore, I can be the same grade as G as long as R is lower than G (or vice versa). One of my possibilities became grade A has G and I (or R); grade B has P and R (or I). E just needs to be higher than H so I put E in grade A and H in grade B. Now John only has grades A and B without any grade C, so I struggled in finding D as the correct answer.