Setup and Rule Diagrams

[Dave Killoran]

Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Basic Linear Game: Balanced, Identify the Templates.

J01_Game_#3_setup_diagram 1.png

The rule that establishes that either W or Y arrives fourth triggers the two templates above. Let us take a moment to examine each template in more detail.

Template #1: When Y arrives fourth, both W and S must arrive ahead of Y. The placement of the R, T, V sequence now becomes a problem. If R arrives fifth, then T and V would have to arrive sixth and seventh, a violation of the last rule. Thus, R must arrive before Y. We can now infer that the three trains arriving before Y are W, S, and R, not necessarily in that order. Both T and V must arrive after Y. Because T and V must not arrive consecutively, either T or V must arrive fifth, and the remainder must arrive seventh. Q, the random, must arrive sixth.

Template #2: When W arrives fourth, both S and Y must arrive after W. As in the previous template, the placement of the R, T, V sequence now becomes a problem. R, T, and V cannot all arrive before W, and thus either T or V must arrive after W. Consequently, R and the remainder of T/V must arrive before W. Q is also forced to arrive before W.

[PowerSteve]

Game 3:
When I did this game during testing conditions I did not initially use templates. I recall (perhaps not entirely correctly - which is part of the reason for this post) from my PowerScore class and one of the virtual modules that templates should be used when there are rules or inferences that present a limited amount of options and by examining those options one could figure almost everything else out. For game 3 from June '01, a very important rule (probably the most important, especially in retrospect) was that the fourth space was designated for either Y or W. I knew that if I did templates that would lead to certain further inferences, but it seemed to me that there would still be a great deal unknown. So, I did not use templates. When I went back over the exam though, I decided to try the templates, and although there was still a great deal unknown after doing the templates, certain inferences were able to be made that certain questions tested (specifically, number 14 would have been extremely difficult to figure out without having templates, and I was able to solve number 16 much more efficiently with the use of the templates). I guess the purpose of my posting this is that I want some extra guidance on the proper use of templates.


Thanks,
Steve

[Nikki Siclunov]

Steve,

You're correct in that templates are particularly useful whenever the rules (or inferences) present a limited number of options. There is a difference, however, between Identifying Templates and Identifying Possibilities. The latter requires examining each particular solution to the game; the former simply requires identification of the different paths to solving the game, but not necessarily each particular solution. For instance, on Game 3 in June 2001, I would set up my two templates as follows:

Template 1:

(W>S, R) Y T/V Q V/T

Template 2:

(R>T/V, Q) W (S>Y, T/V)

As you can see, there is some uncertainty in each template, but the important thing to recognize is that they represent an exhaustive range of solutions. Whenever you identify a "fork in the road," so to speak, it might be useful to take the game in both directions and see where each path will lead you. Of course, if the rest of the rules are unaffected by that "fork in the road," then Identifying Templates is unlikely to be particularly useful. For more info regarding Templates vs. Possibilities, refer to Lesson 9 in the Full Length Course books.

[srcline@noctrl.edu]

Hello Nikki,

I am confused as to where the R is coming from, My setup was as follows: m

W>S> Y

R>T/V

not Blocks : TV
Not Blocks: VT (b/c they cant be consecutive)

My Setup was:

Temp 1: R T/V Q V/T W S Y

TEMP 2 : R W S Y T/V Q V/T

Thankyou
Sarah

[Robert Carroll]

Sarah,

The second rule says that W or Y must be 4th. In your first template, that is not true (W is 5th and either V or T is 4th). If you fulfill that rule, the W > S > Y rule + the R > T and V rule + the TV not next to each other rule will combine to give the templates as Nikki showed.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

Robert Carroll