#14 - Global, Cannot Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15614)

The correct answer choice is (C)

Since H, N, K, and J must all have joined the law firm before G, it follows that 1965 is the earliest year in which G could have joined the firm. Therefore, it cannot be true that G joined the law firm in 1964. It follows that answer choice (C) is correct.

[g_lawyered]

Hello,
On Lesson 1 Homework for LG Game #1 (about the 8 lawyers) Question #14 CANT BE TRUE. See attachment below for the Game and question type. Based on the PDF explanations for this game, I understand why answer choice (C) is correct. However, I chose answer choice (E). I drew out a sketch testing answer choice IE). I drew out 2 scenarios and in the 2nd scenario I realized that it's not possible and the 1st scenario it is possible.

Scenario 1: K, N, K, O, J .... (so O could be 4th)

Scenario 2: K, J, H, O (so O can't be 4th because there isn't room for N to come before O).

Because Scenario 2 was impossible I decided that O can't be 4th overall and chose choice (E). Can someone clarify why answer choice E IS possible (besides my scenario 1 I sketched out)? And why answer choice E isn't a correct answer?

Thanks in advance!
Gabriela

[admin note: this conversation thread has been merged with the official explanation]

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Gabriela,

Just FYI, there are complete setups to all your lesson and homework games, but they are connected to the game itself in the LG portion of the Forum In this case, there is a complete setup and explanation for each question at: https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewforum.php?f=457 All those game explanations are direct linked from within your Online student Center as well. [admin note: this conversation thread has been merged with the linked official explanation]

With E, consider that if one scenario could occur and another can't, doesn't that still say that the possibility could occur? For example, if you get a 180 then you get into Harvard, but if you don't get a 180, then you won't. Right now, since we don't know your score, isn't it still possible you get into Harvard? Yes. it is

Also, LSAC rules prohibit the reproduction of questions in public, so I'll remove the images in this post and your other. We'll then move your post over to the appropriate area in the forum so it links up with our original explanations. No harm done with the image though!

Thanks!

[g_lawyered]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for those links! Those link you provided from the Forum have the same explanations the PDF explanation version so I didn't see anything different than what I had already reviewed prior to posting this question. But you're explanation made me see where I went wrong. To clarify, when testing an answer choice if it's possible in 1 scenario and not in the other that answer choice is a Could Be True, correct? Therefore, because we're looking for a CANT be true a COULD be true answer choice is incorrect.

I didn't test out answer choice (C) so I just went with (E) because I tested it out. In the future, only if there isn't a scenario already sketched from other questions (using previous work) should I test out answers, right?

I think where I went wrong was not recognizing that O CAN go before K. I assumed that H,N,K, and J HAD to come before O. Therefore, I assumed that the earliest that O could go was 5th.
Any tips for future practice?

Thanks in advance!

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Gabriela!

Yes, in a Cannot Be True question, the incorrect answers will be things that could be true. So in a Cannot Be True question you are looking for an answer choice that can never happen--it has to be impossible. If an answer choice is possible, then you eliminate it.

It's most efficient to use your previous work to help eliminate answer choices and then you can test out the answer choices you have left.

Pure Sequencing games like this can be tricky and it requires practice to feel fully comfortable with them. Be careful in drawing and reading your diagrams so that you don't end up making incorrect inferences. Generally, if you can get from one variable to another just by following links in one direction, then you know the relationship between those variables. But if you have to travel in different directions to get between those variables, then you don't know the relationship between them. In this game, to get between O and K we'd have to go forward from K to J, forward from J to G, but then backward from G to N, and then forward from N to O. Since we'd have to go forward and backward to travel between K and O, we do not know the relationship between them and either one could be before or after the other.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[g_lawyered]

Oh that explanation clarifies it so much better. I was reading my sketch incorrectly.
Thanks for your help!

[emilycaitlyn828]

I was wondering if you could verbally walk me through this question from the set?

[Stephanie Oswalt]

I was wondering if you could verbally walk me through this question from the set?

Hi Emily,

Thanks for the post! I have moved your question to the thread discussing #14. Please review the above explanation, and let us know if that helps.

Also, I have removed your image from the post, as LSAC copyright regulations unfortunately do not allow screenshots of the question text. Thanks!