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 HappySloth
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  • Joined: Jun 24, 2025
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#113308
Hello,
I’m not sure if this is the right place to put a question. If it’s not I’m sorry.

I understood that the answer choice B is correct, but I would like to make sure the meaning of it. In my understanding, if an answer choice reads as “No single child understood the name “rolling pin” to apply to the same object”, this answer choice would also be the correct answer. Could you review and confirm this?
Thank you.

Dave Killoran wrote:Hi Shahara,

We can't, actually, and so I suspect your issue with B might be coming from thinking there are only two children. There's no claim in either the problem or the explanations above that there are only two children (there could easily be more). Answer B is using "no two children" as a way to say that no child had the same understanding as any other child, that is, each child gave a unique answer (by picking only their rolling pin) when asked.

Consider this example: "No two people at this party have on the same shirt." does that mean there are only two people at the party? No, it just means that you can look at everyone there are not find two people with the same shirt on, meaning each person has on a different shirt.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
I understood that the answer choice B is correct, but I would like to make sure the meaning of it. In my understanding, if an answer choice reads as “No single child understood the name “rolling pin” to apply to the same object”, this answer choice would also be the correct answer. Could you review and confirm this? Thank you.
Dave Killoran wrote:Hi Shahara,

We can't, actually, and so I suspect your issue with B might be coming from thinking there are only two children. There's no claim in either the problem or the explanations above that there are only two children (there could easily be more). Answer B is using "no two children" as a way to say that no child had the same understanding as any other child, that is, each child gave a unique answer (by picking only their rolling pin) when asked.

Consider this example: "No two people at this party have on the same shirt." does that mean there are only two people at the party? No, it just means that you can look at everyone there are not find two people with the same shirt on, meaning each person has on a different shirt.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
Dave Killoran wrote:Complete Question Explanation

Must Be True. The correct answer choice is (B)

The “rolling pin” problem is a famous question that lured many people to incorrectly select answer choice (D), a Shell Game answer. Answer choice (D) looks perfect at first glance, but the author never indicated that the children could identify only the utensils that they used. Rolling pins, yes; utensils, no. The correct answer choice is (B), which many test takers quickly pass over. Let’s examine each answer:

Answer choice (A): From the text, it seems possible that the children did understand the function of a rolling pin; certainly, they were able to identify the rolling pin they used.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. The answer must be true because we know that despite being asked to identify all the rolling pins, each child selected only the rolling pin he had used. No two children picked the same rolling pin and therefore no two children understood the name “rolling pin” to apply to the same object. Also note how in this Most Strongly Supported question the answer is fully proven.

Answer choice (C): Apparently not, otherwise logic would say the children would pick other rolling pins in addition to the one they used.

Answer choice (D): Do not be concerned if you fell into this trap, but consider it a lesson for the future. The test makers smoothly slip “utensils” into the answer choice, and most students make the mistake of equating utensils with rolling pins. Yes, a rolling pin is a utensil, but there are other utensils as well, and the stimulus does not give us information about whether the children could identify those utensils. This is the essence of the Shell Game: you expect one thing and the test makers slip something quite similar but essentially different into its place.

Answer choice (E): This is an Opposite Answer. As indicated by the final sentence of the stimulus, the children were able to distinguish the rolling pin they used from the other rolling pins. This circumstance is exactly opposite of that stated in answer choice (E), which declares, “The children were not able to distinguish...” In this case, if you miss the “not,” this answer choice is very attractive.
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 Jeff Wren
PowerScore Staff
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  • Joined: Oct 19, 2022
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#113325
Hi HappySloth,

Answer B is basically conveying the idea that each child understood the name "rolling pin" to apply to a different object. There are several ways to express this idea.

Your example, “No single child understood the name “rolling pin” to apply to the same object” would also be correct and means the same thing as the wording in Answer B.

The test makers likely used the wording in Answer B because it does cause confusion for many test takers.
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 HappySloth
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  • Joined: Jun 24, 2025
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#113331
Thank you so much Jeff!

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