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- Mon Jan 20, 2014 12:00 am
#38157
Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14979)
The correct answer choice is (C)
This question establishes that O is summarized: a seemingly innocuous question, it proved exceptionally difficult for most test takers. Let’s take it one step at a time:
Since O is discussed fourth, it follows that the fourth book discussed must be summarized. And, since no two consecutively discussed books can be summarized, we can also infer that the third and the fifth books discussed cannot be summarized:
In its current form, our local diagram contains a great deal of uncertainty, preventing us from quickly answering this Cannot Be True question. Rather than manipulate the five remaining variables in your head, it is best to create three local diagrams that break down the order in which the first three books are discussed. This approach has a lot of potential, because the third book discussed cannot be summarized, and—as shown on our main diagram—that book is either F or T, potentially triggering the second rule in the game. Thus:
Thanks to the contrapositive of the second rule, if T is not summarized, then N must be summarized (i.e. either T or N must be summarized). Thus, in the first two local diagrams above, we can infer that N must be summarized. And, since N is adjacent to F in both diagrams, it follows that F is not summarized:
Note that the same deductions cannot be made with respect to the third solution, because the relationship between N, T, and R with respect to their status (summarized or not) cannot be determined. Nevertheless, we can still prove that answer choice (C) cannot be true in any of the three setups, and is therefore correct. The remaining four answers could be true, as shown on the diagrams above.
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14979)
The correct answer choice is (C)
This question establishes that O is summarized: a seemingly innocuous question, it proved exceptionally difficult for most test takers. Let’s take it one step at a time:
Since O is discussed fourth, it follows that the fourth book discussed must be summarized. And, since no two consecutively discussed books can be summarized, we can also infer that the third and the fifth books discussed cannot be summarized:
In its current form, our local diagram contains a great deal of uncertainty, preventing us from quickly answering this Cannot Be True question. Rather than manipulate the five remaining variables in your head, it is best to create three local diagrams that break down the order in which the first three books are discussed. This approach has a lot of potential, because the third book discussed cannot be summarized, and—as shown on our main diagram—that book is either F or T, potentially triggering the second rule in the game. Thus:
Thanks to the contrapositive of the second rule, if T is not summarized, then N must be summarized (i.e. either T or N must be summarized). Thus, in the first two local diagrams above, we can infer that N must be summarized. And, since N is adjacent to F in both diagrams, it follows that F is not summarized:
Note that the same deductions cannot be made with respect to the third solution, because the relationship between N, T, and R with respect to their status (summarized or not) cannot be determined. Nevertheless, we can still prove that answer choice (C) cannot be true in any of the three setups, and is therefore correct. The remaining four answers could be true, as shown on the diagrams above.
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