This won't be pretty, but it should help, hegna018:
Draw two rows of 4 blank spaces each, and number them as described in the scenario:
_ _ _ _
1 3 5 7
_ _ _ _
2 4 6 8
Put an R is spot 3 (top row, second space) and an S in spot 6 (bottom row, third space).
To show that no two adjacent houses are the same style, try something like putting XX in a block and crossing it out:
XX. The X here is a stand-in for all three types; this is meant to convey that you can never have the same variable beside itself, no matter which type it is. This will allow you to infer that houses 1 and 5 are not R and houses 4 and 8 are not S. If using X is too confusing, then do three not-blocks:
RR,
SS, and
TT.
Make a vertical not-block of two Ss (an S on top of another S, with the whole block crossed out). This will allow you to infer that house 5 is not an S (because 6 is an S). Now you can infer further that house 5 must be T, because it cannot be R or S. That also means that house 7 is not a T.
For the rule about R having T next to it, make it conditional: R
RT or TR. Every R must have a T next to it on one side or the other or both, so R is the Sufficient Condition here. There is no requirement that every T has an R next to it, though, so don't get that rule backwards or treat it as just a block.
Now an additional inference should come up: house 8 cannot be an R, because if it was then it would not have a T next to it since 6, the only adjacent house to 8, is an S. Thus, house 8 must be a T!
Beware of one possible false inference: some folks mistakenly infer that 4 cannot be an R. But there is no rule against having two Rs face each other the way there is with the Ss, so 4 can be an R or a T, and 2 can be any type.
Put that all together and see what else you can do with it! Maybe set up some templates? Have fun, good luck!
Adam M. Tyson
PowerScore LSAT, GRE, ACT and SAT Instructor
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https://twitter.com/LSATadam
