- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8916
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Wed Nov 15, 2017 4:44 pm
#41620
Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15887)
The correct answer choice is (B)
This question asks us to determine how many students could perform fourth. Despite the use of the word “could” in the stem, this is a Must Be True question, because our job is not merely to determine who could perform fourth. Rather, we need to tally up that number, and identify what must be true about the number of people who could perform fourth.
If you made the inference that either H or F must perform fourth, answering this question would be exceptionally easy. The question would be equally easy if you made templates, which—together—prove that only two variables can perform fourth. Answer choice (B) is therefore correct.
Without either of these “crutches,” however, one can fall into a trap. The initial sequencing chain clearly shows that neither G or K can perform fourth, because each of them must precede at least two variables. If you rushed into the conclusion that any one of the three remaining variables could perform fourth, you would have made a mistake. Blocks can—and often do—restrict such placements even further. Indeed, if J were to perform fourth, the first three positions we would need to accommodate four variables—the HF rotating block, along with G and K—which is clearly impossible. Therefore, J cannot perform fourth either, bringing the total number of students, any one of whom can perform fourth, down to two.
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15887)
The correct answer choice is (B)
This question asks us to determine how many students could perform fourth. Despite the use of the word “could” in the stem, this is a Must Be True question, because our job is not merely to determine who could perform fourth. Rather, we need to tally up that number, and identify what must be true about the number of people who could perform fourth.
If you made the inference that either H or F must perform fourth, answering this question would be exceptionally easy. The question would be equally easy if you made templates, which—together—prove that only two variables can perform fourth. Answer choice (B) is therefore correct.
Without either of these “crutches,” however, one can fall into a trap. The initial sequencing chain clearly shows that neither G or K can perform fourth, because each of them must precede at least two variables. If you rushed into the conclusion that any one of the three remaining variables could perform fourth, you would have made a mistake. Blocks can—and often do—restrict such placements even further. Indeed, if J were to perform fourth, the first three positions we would need to accommodate four variables—the HF rotating block, along with G and K—which is clearly impossible. Therefore, J cannot perform fourth either, bringing the total number of students, any one of whom can perform fourth, down to two.
