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Hi all, I have a question about double-branched sequences. Here is an example:

Y is inspected before both X and Z are inspected.

Solution: Y > X/Z
(X over Z with dotted horizontal line as represented in Powerscore materials)

Additionally, Not Laws represent Not X and Not Z under the position 1 and Not Y under both positions 5 and 6.

My question is: How can you know with certainty that Y is not in position 5? It never states that this is a 1:1 relationship. Thus, X and Z can both be in position 6, which would make it acceptable for Y to be in position 5.

I appreciate any help in providing some clarification on this.

Thanks!

enbea wrote:Hi all, I have a question about double-branched sequences. Here is an example:

Y is inspected before both X and Z are inspected.

Solution: Y > X/Z
(X over Z with dotted horizontal line as represented in Powerscore materials)

Additionally, Not Laws represent Not X and Not Z under the position 1 and Not Y under both positions 5 and 6.

My question is: How can you know with certainty that Y is not in position 5? It never states that this is a 1:1 relationship. Thus, X and Z can both be in position 6, which would make it acceptable for Y to be in position 5.

I appreciate any help in providing some clarification on this.

Thanks!

Is this for a 6 item sequence?

Largely depends on the context.

The rules for certain games, although rare, will allow for the sort of set up that you mentioned.

The vast majority, however, will explicitly state that only one game piece per slot is allowed....or something to that effect.

I read the Bibles and am now taking the online course, They got rid of the '<>' in the course. Anyway, rather than rule it , I'd just incorporate it into the overall sequence. However, stand a alone or sequenced PS and me now would make it look like

-------------------X
-----------------/
------------Y
----------------\
-------------------Z

This doesn't look as good with the fonts and the dashes are the only way to show space, but you get the idea. This pictures Y's relationship to X and Z better and allows you to continue building the sequence as other rules are added. Be careful though, as X or Z are built upon that doesn't effect the others prevalence, For example; if the next rule is 'Z comes before U', that creates a string of Y--Z--U that X can fit into anywhere in below Y. YXZU, YZXU, YZUX....... get it. With X and Z being in proximity to each other in your diagram though, it's sometimes easy to believe they must be in that same proximity in the game. It'll get you every time.

(NOT LAWS.. consider a 7 slot game)
As to the 'Not laws' the guy above is right, the game will state that only one variable per slot unless some wild rule like X and Z are interviewed at the same time (extremely rare). Based on your example with normal rules Y's possible spots are 1-5. Spots 6 and 7 would be Y crossed out below the numbers and X/Z crossed out below spots 1 and 2. Then you'll get a question like ' if Y is in spot 5, what must be true. and the answers will have X in slot 6, or Z in slot 7, and you'll scratch those off, because your sequence diagram shows that although X and Z fill slots 6 and 7, they can be in any order, thus they are not must be true. A correct answer would have something like Z is in either spot 6 or spot 7. That must be true thus correct.

Good luck, and don't go far, I might need your help soon. P.

In this example assuming a typical game where items can only occupy one spot, it is not true that X and Z are blocked from space 2, they are blocked only from space 1, because neither can come before Y.

You might see something like this in a rule that says either Y will come before X or Z, but not both. In that case, you know that Y cannot go last, but that's about it.