- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Jun 12, 2017
- Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:00 am
#78978
Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation
This is a Grouping/Linear Combination game, where the Identify the Templates approach can be used (but is not absolutely essential).
1. Since there are 8 potters' bowls, exactly 6 of which must be displayed in a row from 1 to 6, the base of the game is the 1 to 6 row, and the scenario should also display 2 "out" spots for the two potters' bowls that will inevitably not be displayed.
2. The first rule is a double-not arrow, showing that L's and M's bowls cannot be displayed simultaneously. In addition, one of the "out" slots should be filled by a dual option for L or M (since both cannot be displayed, at least one will have to be out).
3. The second rule is a conditional rule, with P's being both "next to" O and "next to" S as the necessary condition (notice the "only if" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if P is displayed, then it must appear immediately beside both O and S. O and S could each be either right before or right after P in this construction. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that P is not displayed (in which case O and S would be "set free" to appear in any position relative to one another). There isn't a perfect way to represent the contrapositive of the rule, but think about the implications of the rule from a negative angle. If O were not displayed, then P could not be displayed. But this would "overload" the out group (since one of L or M must be out). That means O cannot be out, and therefore must be displayed. The same goes for S! This is the first major, and interesting (and most important!), inference of the game. The rule isn't done yielding inferences, though. Since every time P is displayed it has something immediately before and immediately after it, that means that P cannot be displayed in position 1 and P cannot be displayed in position 6.
4. The third rule is a conditional rule, with R's being on position 1 or 6 as the necessary condition (notice the "only" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if R is displayed, then it must appear on position 1 or 6, meaning it can never appear in any of positions 2 through 5. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that R is not displayed (i.e., the rule only triggers if R is displayed).
5. The fourth rule is represented with Not Laws in the diagram for S beneath positions 2 and 4. The rule yields the interesting inference that P cannot be displayed in position 3, because if you tried to display P in position 3, that would force S to be in either position 2 or 4 (which the rule prevents).
6. The fifth rule is a conditional rule, with N's being on position 5 as the necessary condition (notice the "only" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if N is displayed, then it must appear on position 5, meaning it can never appear in any of positions 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that N is not displayed (i.e., the rule only triggers if N is displayed).
7. V is a random variable, denoted with an asterisk in the Global Diagram below.
8. The above rules present the possibility for identifying templates. The inferences surrounding P limit P's placement to either position 2, position 4, position 5, or being "out" of the game. Depending on your comfort level with creating templates, it could be worthwhile to build templates around these 4 options, displayed below.
Global Diagram
Template Diagrams
This is a Grouping/Linear Combination game, where the Identify the Templates approach can be used (but is not absolutely essential).
1. Since there are 8 potters' bowls, exactly 6 of which must be displayed in a row from 1 to 6, the base of the game is the 1 to 6 row, and the scenario should also display 2 "out" spots for the two potters' bowls that will inevitably not be displayed.
2. The first rule is a double-not arrow, showing that L's and M's bowls cannot be displayed simultaneously. In addition, one of the "out" slots should be filled by a dual option for L or M (since both cannot be displayed, at least one will have to be out).
3. The second rule is a conditional rule, with P's being both "next to" O and "next to" S as the necessary condition (notice the "only if" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if P is displayed, then it must appear immediately beside both O and S. O and S could each be either right before or right after P in this construction. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that P is not displayed (in which case O and S would be "set free" to appear in any position relative to one another). There isn't a perfect way to represent the contrapositive of the rule, but think about the implications of the rule from a negative angle. If O were not displayed, then P could not be displayed. But this would "overload" the out group (since one of L or M must be out). That means O cannot be out, and therefore must be displayed. The same goes for S! This is the first major, and interesting (and most important!), inference of the game. The rule isn't done yielding inferences, though. Since every time P is displayed it has something immediately before and immediately after it, that means that P cannot be displayed in position 1 and P cannot be displayed in position 6.
4. The third rule is a conditional rule, with R's being on position 1 or 6 as the necessary condition (notice the "only" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if R is displayed, then it must appear on position 1 or 6, meaning it can never appear in any of positions 2 through 5. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that R is not displayed (i.e., the rule only triggers if R is displayed).
5. The fourth rule is represented with Not Laws in the diagram for S beneath positions 2 and 4. The rule yields the interesting inference that P cannot be displayed in position 3, because if you tried to display P in position 3, that would force S to be in either position 2 or 4 (which the rule prevents).
6. The fifth rule is a conditional rule, with N's being on position 5 as the necessary condition (notice the "only" modifier). In "if-then" terms, the rule means that if N is displayed, then it must appear on position 5, meaning it can never appear in any of positions 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6. Don't forget, though, that the rule allows for the possibility that N is not displayed (i.e., the rule only triggers if N is displayed).
7. V is a random variable, denoted with an asterisk in the Global Diagram below.
8. The above rules present the possibility for identifying templates. The inferences surrounding P limit P's placement to either position 2, position 4, position 5, or being "out" of the game. Depending on your comfort level with creating templates, it could be worthwhile to build templates around these 4 options, displayed below.
Global Diagram
Template Diagrams
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Jeremy Press
LSAT Instructor and law school admissions consultant
Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JeremyLSAT
LSAT Instructor and law school admissions consultant
Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JeremyLSAT
