LSAT and Law School Admissions Forum

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

General questions relating to the LSAT Logic Games.
User avatar
 parisielvirac
  • Posts: 30
  • Joined: Jan 20, 2021
|
#83600
When there are "no ties" I understand it is specified in a pure sequencing game from a phrase like "Max is always before Sam"

But what is the "possibility of ties" in the demand course? It was a very brief explanation.

Does it have to be specified with a sentence like "man is not stronger than sam" or do we assume every has a possible tie if not stated? like if there is a list of rules saying one person is before the other do we assume they can all be in the same place? Unless stated?
im confused
User avatar
 Dave Killoran
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5850
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2011
|
#83617
Hi parisielvirac,

We cover this in small pieces in a bunch of places, so keep in mind that our teaching style is to bring it up early in the course (earlier than most people really can understand it), and then come back to it multiple times. This first softens the ground for the idea, then builds the idea, and then finally firmly emplaces the idea in your approach :-D

Ties in Linear Games when more than one variable can occupy the same spot. For example, there could be two separate variables in the third spot perhaps. Games without ties are known as 1-to-1 games, where each single space can only be occupied by a single variable.

That aside, the rule you cited does not imply "no ties" throughout a game. The controlling information for whether ties can occur or not occur usually occurs in the game scenario. For example, look at these phrases from some Logic Games, with the language italicized that tells you "no ties" can occur:

  • An investigator is trying to determine the order in which five successive phone calls were made

    There will be one performance each day,

    Seven businesses will be located in the shopping center, one in each space.
And so on—there are many examples! But, there is always language (or common sense, such as that one person cannot be in two places at once) that indicates no ties are present.

So, what indicates that ties are possible? Somewhat annoyingly, it's the lack of the type of language above that makes this possible. And, even in games where ties are possible, there can be rules that clearly outlaw ties for two or more variables. This is what makes Logic Games difficult: you have to track this info, and they don't always make it clear.

Thanks!
User avatar
 parisielvirac
  • Posts: 30
  • Joined: Jan 20, 2021
|
#83830
Thanks so much, hope to learn more as the course goes on! got it
User avatar
 parisielvirac
  • Posts: 30
  • Joined: Jan 20, 2021
|
#83869
I have another question.
In games where ties are possible, you stated there can be rules that clearly outlaw ties for two or more variables.
Can you give an example of this type of outlawing for certain variables? An example with the language they might use?

Thanks again
User avatar
 parisielvirac
  • Posts: 30
  • Joined: Jan 20, 2021
|
#83870
and in cases where language is not used, but two people can't be in the same place as once, can you give an example?

For example: a firm has nine partners.

then a list of rules on who's salary is higher than the other.

In this example would it be a case of no ties, even though not specified?

Game #3: February 1992 Questions 1-6
all the questions that suggest there are ties are local, but in this game "no ties" was not specified, correct?
User avatar
 Dave Killoran
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5850
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2011
|
#83881
parisielvirac wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:22 am I have another question.
In games where ties are possible, you stated there can be rules that clearly outlaw ties for two or more variables.
Can you give an example of this type of outlawing for certain variables? An example with the language they might use?

Thanks again
I cited several examples of language outlawing ties in my prior post :-D
User avatar
 Dave Killoran
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5850
  • Joined: Mar 25, 2011
|
#83882
parisielvirac wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:51 am and in cases where language is not used, but two people can't be in the same place as once, can you give an example?

For example: a firm has nine partners.

then a list of rules on who's salary is higher than the other.

In this example would it be a case of no ties, even though not specified?

Game #3: February 1992 Questions 1-6
all the questions that suggest there are ties are local, but in this game "no ties" was not specified, correct?
That is correct :) Any example of a game with ties simply won't have language eliminating it, so you can't point to a certain phrase (unless they explicitly says, "ties are allowed," which they rarely do).

Get the most out of your LSAT Prep Plus subscription.

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