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Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:34 pm
by tuffyjohnson
These kinda throw me for a loop. What's the best way to deal with these on LG questions?

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:44 pm
by Balthy
If 1 answer choice could be false, you know that there are 4 answer choices that MUST BE TRUE. Make as many inferences as you can and it should almost always knock out the 4 incorrect answer choices. In the event that it doesn't, simply take the remaining answer choices and try to make them not be true (e.g., if (a) says "x is in 3," put x into any other spot but 3 and see if that scenario is consistent with the rules. If so, that's your answer.)

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:45 pm
by RobertGolddust
Correct me if I'm wrong but the logical equivalent of could be false is not necessarily true, and its logical opposite is must be true. So, forgive me for my phrasing, the degree of "rightness" for could be false is between (0-99), basically anything but (100), the difference between this and could be true, is the degree of rightness would be between (1-100), could be true eliminates the possibility of anything that must be false, but not necessarily true could indeed be necessarily false.

Hope this helps, first time trying to write out an explanation. If this throws you for a loop, which I imagine it might, check out Power Score's LR/LG bible; they present it visually (which makes it easy to learn).

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:46 pm
by tuffyjohnson
superdingle2000 wrote:If 1 answer choice could be false, you know that there are 4 answer choices that MUST BE TRUE. Make as many inferences as you can and it should almost always knock out the 4 incorrect answer choices. In the event that it doesn't, simply take the remaining answer choices and try to make them not be true (e.g., if (a) says "x is in 3," put x into any other spot but 3 and see if that scenario is consistent with the rules. If so, that's your answer.)
Is there a better phrase that I can replace it with? For example: anytime I see could be false replace with ___________

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:57 pm
by Balthy
tuffyjohnson wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:If 1 answer choice could be false, you know that there are 4 answer choices that MUST BE TRUE. Make as many inferences as you can and it should almost always knock out the 4 incorrect answer choices. In the event that it doesn't, simply take the remaining answer choices and try to make them not be true (e.g., if (a) says "x is in 3," put x into any other spot but 3 and see if that scenario is consistent with the rules. If so, that's your answer.)
Is there a better phrase that I can replace it with? For example: anytime I see could be false replace with ___________

As Robert mentioned, you could replace it with "not necessarily true." Maybe that is more intuitive for you. Then, you'd simply have to make some inferences to figure out what MUST be true and eliminate the corresponding answer choices. As I explained earlier, if this doesn't eliminate all, try the make the remaining answer choices "not necessarily true." So take "x is in spot 3" and negate it; put it in spot 1, 2, 4, 5, or whatever as long as it's not 3, and quickly see if you could make out a scenario that is consistent with the rules (in which case, that will be the right answer because you have shown that "x is in spot 3" is not necessarily true).

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:05 pm
by bp shinners
tuffyjohnson wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:If 1 answer choice could be false, you know that there are 4 answer choices that MUST BE TRUE. Make as many inferences as you can and it should almost always knock out the 4 incorrect answer choices. In the event that it doesn't, simply take the remaining answer choices and try to make them not be true (e.g., if (a) says "x is in 3," put x into any other spot but 3 and see if that scenario is consistent with the rules. If so, that's your answer.)
Is there a better phrase that I can replace it with? For example: anytime I see could be false replace with ___________
This is the one question type where I feel the EXCEPT version is better than the original. I'd replace it with MUST BE TRUE EXCEPT, and eliminate anything that Must be True.

Re: Best way to handle "could be false"

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:58 pm
by tuffyjohnson
bp shinners wrote:
tuffyjohnson wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:If 1 answer choice could be false, you know that there are 4 answer choices that MUST BE TRUE. Make as many inferences as you can and it should almost always knock out the 4 incorrect answer choices. In the event that it doesn't, simply take the remaining answer choices and try to make them not be true (e.g., if (a) says "x is in 3," put x into any other spot but 3 and see if that scenario is consistent with the rules. If so, that's your answer.)
Is there a better phrase that I can replace it with? For example: anytime I see could be false replace with ___________
This is the one question type where I feel the EXCEPT version is better than the original. I'd replace it with MUST BE TRUE EXCEPT, and eliminate anything that Must be True.
TITCR - Thanks BP Shinners!