often, usually, many Forum
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often, usually, many
hey, i'm always confused by these. i think i need to make it clear before June 7!
i guess usually is "most", many is "some", but not sure about often... can anyone help/correct me here?
i guess usually is "most", many is "some", but not sure about often... can anyone help/correct me here?
- Bildungsroman
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Re: often, usually, many
Many and often mean the same thing on the LSAT: at least one/once. They do not imply in any way a majority.
Example: Many people like ice cream. Many people also like soda. At least one person must like ice cream sodas. <--- FALSE.
I remember one of the PTs I took had a question like this about blueberry pie.
Example: Many people like ice cream. Many people also like soda. At least one person must like ice cream sodas. <--- FALSE.
I remember one of the PTs I took had a question like this about blueberry pie.
Last edited by Bildungsroman on Mon May 31, 2010 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: often, usually, many
I thought often did imply a majority (or more than half, likelihood)?
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Re: often, usually, many
+1lsat_doobie wrote:I thought often did imply a majority (or more than half, likelihood)?
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Re: often, usually, many
Correct, you can only make that inference if you replaced both Many's with MostBildungsroman wrote:Many and often mean the same thing on the LSAT: at least one/once. They do not imply in any way a majority.
Example: Many people like ice cream. Many people also like soda. At least one person must like ice cream sodas. <--- FALSE.
I remember one of the PTs I took had a question like this about blueberry pie.
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Re: often, usually, many
I'm pretty sure even with most, you still can't make that inference.lsat_doobie wrote:Correct, you can only make that inference if you replaced both Many's with MostBildungsroman wrote:Many and often mean the same thing on the LSAT: at least one/once. They do not imply in any way a majority.
Example: Many people like ice cream. Many people also like soda. At least one person must like ice cream sodas. <--- FALSE.
I remember one of the PTs I took had a question like this about blueberry pie.
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Re: often, usually, many
I'm pretty positive if there are two Most's, you can infer that at least one person likes ice cream and soda (i.e. some people like ice cream and soda)
Last edited by lsat_doobie on Mon May 31, 2010 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: often, usually, many
If I told you I snort coke 13 days per month, would you feel justified in saying that I snort coke often?mz253 wrote:+1lsat_doobie wrote:I thought often did imply a majority (or more than half, likelihood)?
- Bildungsroman
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Re: often, usually, many
Nope, looking in my Kaplan book at this right now.lsat_doobie wrote:I thought often did imply a majority (or more than half, likelihood)?
What's even crazier is that the word "several" only means "at least 1" on the LSAT. The LSAT doesn't require math skills, so you'll never find yourself having to count up "severals" and "oftens" and "manys" and try to do some calculations. The LSAT just makes sure, on LR, that you know the difference between a majority and not a majority, and can recognize the difference between overlapping majorities and those situations where different categories don't necessarily overlap.
Think about this: "often" is a relative term. "Most" is not. If you say somebody cheats often, you may just be saying they cheat 5% of the time, but compared to the general population, that seems very frequent. If you say somebody cheats most of the time, you are saying that person cheats more than half the time, because that's what the word "most" means.
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Re: often, usually, many
He wrote ice cream sodas. Combination of the two. Like root beer float.lsat_doobie wrote:I'm pretty positive if there are two Most's, you can infer that at least one person likes ice cream and soda (i.e. some people like ice cream and soda)
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Re: often, usually, many
yea.. ice cream and soda.. not ice cream sodas... is what I meant
- Bildungsroman
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Re: often, usually, many
TITCR.lsat_doobie wrote:I'm pretty positive if there are two Most's, you can infer that at least one person likes ice cream and soda (i.e. some people like ice cream and soda)
100 people.
Most like ice cream = at least 51 people like ice cream.
Most like coffee = at least 51 people like coffee.
At least one person must like both, or else you run out of people.
- Bildungsroman
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Re: often, usually, many
That was just a substitution for an old LSAT question, where it was "blueberries", "pie", and "blueberries in their pie". The conclusion wasn;t flawed because ZOMG BLUEBERRY PIE DOESN'T FLOW FROM BLUEBERRIES AND PIE, but rather because of the most/many distinction.bartleby wrote:He wrote ice cream sodas. Combination of the two. Like root beer float.lsat_doobie wrote:I'm pretty positive if there are two Most's, you can infer that at least one person likes ice cream and soda (i.e. some people like ice cream and soda)
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Re: often, usually, many
Don't forget about "minority." They've thrown that in to fuck with people a couple times.
- r2b2ct
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Re: often, usually, many
This is correct. "Often" means "many times", so treat it like many/some/several (= one or more).Bildungsroman wrote:Nope, looking in my Kaplan book at this right now.lsat_doobie wrote:I thought often did imply a majority (or more than half, likelihood)?
What's even crazier is that the word "several" only means "at least 1" on the LSAT. The LSAT doesn't require math skills, so you'll never find yourself having to count up "severals" and "oftens" and "manys" and try to do some calculations. The LSAT just makes sure, on LR, that you know the difference between a majority and not a majority, and can recognize the difference between overlapping majorities and those situations where different categories don't necessarily overlap.
Think about this: "often" is a relative term. "Most" is not. If you say somebody cheats often, you may just be saying they cheat 5% of the time, but compared to the general population, that seems very frequent. If you say somebody cheats most of the time, you are saying that person cheats more than half the time, because that's what the word "most" means.
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