LSAT and Law School Admissions Forum

Get expert LSAT preparation and law school admissions advice from PowerScore Test Preparation.

 Administrator
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 8916
  • Joined: Feb 02, 2011
|
#25104
Setup and Rule Diagram Explanation

This is a Grouping/Linear Combination: Numerical Distribution, Identify the Templates game.

The game scenario indicates that eight books are placed on three shelves, with at least two books per shelf (which establishes a minimum distribution of 2-2-2). The first rule then states that more books are placed on the bottom shelf than on the top shelf. This creates two Numerical Distributions:
powerscore_M12_T4_O2011_LG_explanations_game_4_diagram_1.png
The presence of these two distributions immediately suggests that the game should be approached with templates.

The second rule places I on the middle shelf, and the remaining three rules create a FM block and two sequencing rules. These rules create the following initial, basic setup:
powerscore_M12_T4_O2011_LG_explanations_game_4_diagram_2.png
Let us now examine the templates. There will be three templates—one for each of the distributions, but then the 2-3-3 template will be split into two templates based on the position of the FM block.

Template #1: 2-3-3 Distribution, FM Block on Middle Shelf

In this template, the FM block is placed on the middle shelf, which then forces K onto the top shelf per the third rule. With the middle shelf “full,” O must go on the top shelf, leaving L on the bottom shelf, along with G and H:
powerscore_M12_T4_O2011_LG_explanations_game_4_diagram_3.png
Template #2: 2-3-3 Distribution, FM Block on Bottom Shelf

In this template, the FM block is placed on the bottom shelf, which opens the scenario up considerably. A number of possible solutions fit under this template, but because of the Not Laws, you can deduce that one of G, H, and L is placed on the bottom shelf:
powerscore_M12_T4_O2011_LG_explanations_game_4_diagram_4.png
Template #3: 2-2-4 Distribution

In this template, the FM block must be placed on the bottom shelf, which again opens the scenario up considerably. A number of possible solutions fit under this template, but because of the Not Laws, you can deduce that exactly two of G, H, and L are placed on the bottom shelf:
powerscore_M12_T4_O2011_LG_explanations_game_4_diagram_5.png
With the three templates in place, we are ready to attack the questions.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
 netherlands
  • Posts: 136
  • Joined: Apr 17, 2013
|
#10883
hi there PS,

Is it just me or was this definitely a heavy template game? I ended up drafting 7 templates. Just wondering if I missed anything that would have condensed that.
User avatar
 Dave Killoran
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5853
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2011
|
#10890
Hi Netherlands,

This is definitely a Template game, but I use just three templates for it, based on the distributions and the placement of FM:

  • Template #1: 2-3-3, FM on the middle shelf

    Template #2: 2-3-3, FM on the bottom shelf

    Template #3: 2-2-4
Template #1 fills in completely, and the other two fill in only partially, but it was enough info that I felt like it was better to move on rather than expend the extra amount of time to explore every possibility.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
 lordraj1996
  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: Sep 29, 2018
|
#58936
Hello Powerscore,

In response to the above reply how can one know which templates are most optimal when you can have several?

Thanks.
 James Finch
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 943
  • Joined: Sep 06, 2017
|
#58995
Hi Raj,

I'm not clear on what you mean: are you talking about knowing when to create templates during setup (my own personal limit is when there are a maximum of four) or about which individual templates will be most pertinent to the questions?

Get the most out of your LSAT Prep Plus subscription.

Analyze and track your performance with our Testing and Analytics Package.