#3 - Local, Could Be True

[Dave Killoran]

Complete Question Explanation
(The complete setup for this game can be found here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=15703)

The correct answer choice is (D)

The Local condition in the question stem establishes that M is pictured on guidepost 3, and thus, according to the first rule, G must be pictured on guidepost 4:

Because M is also involved in the super-sequence, we can establish that F must be pictured on guidepost 1 and L must be pictured on guidepost 2:

The only remaining uncertainty is the placement of H and P:

Consequently, the lowest numbered guidepost that could picture P is guidepost 5, and (D) is the correct answer.

[persde]

If P is part of a dual option for both guideposts 5 and 6, why is guidepost 5 the lowest number that could picture P and not guidepost 6?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi persde,

We are looking for the lowest possible guidepost for P. Since 5 is a lower number than 6, 5 is the lowest possible guidepost.

This about it this way. If I said the highest grade you can get on the LSAT is a 180, you wouldn't ask why 150 wasn't the highest number. You'd recognize that there's a variety of scores, but one score is the highest. Similarly here, even though there are multiple possibilities, 5 is the lowest of those possibilities. 6 is still A possibility, but it is not the lowest possibility.

Hope that helps!
Rachael