lsat logic question help Forum

[a789877]

I'm reading a book, "LSAT Logic Games for DUMMIES". I'm a dummy, so perfect! I am confused on a problem, and hoped it could be explained better than as provided in the book. I feel like I cannot move forward in studying until I reconcile my problem with this, because I might be missing something big. Perhaps one of you who isn't such a dummy can help? Here is the setup:

MOD EDIT

Please help me understand whether I am making a logical error, reading error, or if the example is a poor one. I just need some clarity so I can move along.

Thank you!

[Nova]

That book sucks.

Get the Power Score Bibles or Manhattan.

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-LSAT-Se ... sat+bundle

too intoxicated to answer your question.

[a789877]

Thank you Nova. I ordered one of those today. For now, I'm stuck with the Dummy book. Should I attempt to understand this question (am I missing something), or just burn the book and be done with it?

[dowu]

Burn that book, asap. IMO, Manhattan > Powerscore. Powerscore is too basic.

Also, if you have any more questions, hit up this dude. I hear he's pretty helpful.

[Nova]

ok here we go:

~=not

__ __ __ __ __
...........b/z.......(rule 1)
...... ~h...............(rule2)
.........................~PS , P and S are not next to eah other. (rule 3)
...... ~b..................(hypo rule)
...... ~z..................(hypo rule)

-------------------------------------------------


therefore, s/p must be 3.

__ __ __ __ __
.......s/p.b/z

So its either

__ __ S __ __
......... b/z
.. ~p...............(rule 3)

OR

__ __ P __ __
......... b/z
.. ~s...............(rule 3)

question: what cant be S.

Well, based on the rules, obviously 4th cant be S. But thats not a choice.

S either has to be 3rd, or P is third.

If s is not 3rd, P is 3rd.

S and P cant be next to each other.

Therefore S can not be second. (because if its not 3rd, P is 3rd, and S and P cant be next to each other)

[Nova]

HTH

But yeah, burn that book

Good luck!!

[a789877]

Thank you, thank you, thank you (and thank you). It feels good to have a clear understanding of how to think the problem through. I'm only on my 2nd day of studying, so clearly I have a long ways to go. I'll get both of the recommended books and do this the right way. Thanks again for the explanation.

[Nova]

Thank you, thank you, thank you (and thank you). It feels good to have a clear understanding of how to think the problem through. I'm only on my 2nd day of studying, so clearly I have a long ways to go. I'll get both of the recommended books and do this the right way. Thanks again for the explanation.

No problem

Good luck with everything!

[dowu]

Thank you, thank you, thank you (and thank you). It feels good to have a clear understanding of how to think the problem through. I'm only on my 2nd day of studying, so clearly I have a long ways to go. I'll get both of the recommended books and do this the right way. Thanks again for the explanation.

No problem

Good luck with everything!

Yeah, keep studying! You'll get it bro as long as you want it!

[Daily_Double]

MOD EDIT

While I do not know how bad that book is, I do recommend that you purchase Powerscore and/or Manhattan's books.

This problem is a pretty straightforward closed ordering game, although a poor one. You are correct when you said "that the third shelf MAY contain one of the two books (P or S), but we don't know which. In one case, the third row may have S," but you made an error here: "making the 2nd row have P. So, in my reading of this, the second shelf MAY NOT (which is different from CANNOT) contain sports books." I think you may have misread the third rule: "Psychology and sports books aren't on adjacent shelves."

The rules state that the fourth shelf must contain B or Z, that the third shelf cannot contain H, and that P and S cannot be adjacent. When combined with the rule stated in the question (that the third shelf cannot contain B or Z), the hypo becomes:

B, H, P, S, Z

1.
2.
3. P/S (-H, -B, -Z)
4. B/Z
5.

Because you can not have PS or SP, as that would contradict one of the rules, S and P must be separated by at least one shelf, since S and P are the only remaining books that can be placed on the third shelf, one of them must be on the third shelf, and the other must be either on the first shelf or the fifth shelf. Therefore, you cannot place P or S on the second or fourth shelves.

Hopefully this answers your question and good luck.

[Daily_Double]

And yes, I can see that it has already been answered. Nova beat me to it, but I didn't feel like deleting it, so hopefully, doubtful though it may be, this helps.

[soj]

TLS forbids posting copyrighted materials. If you have a question from a book, refer to the book and the page number so others can assist you.