Is it possible to do Logic Games without diagramming? Forum

[conticuere]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'm new to this so I do apologize. I imagine there are some superhuman natural logicians who could do this. Saul Kripke? I'm sure this is a terrible idea, and 99% of people couldn't, but I ask out of curiosity.

[pancakes3]

seeing as you're ostensibly an LSAT prepper, you should know how ridiculous your "is it possible" question sounds.

[conticuere]

I'm not asking for myself or for the normal test taker––I know it's hardly advisable. I'm curious merely about the legendary figures. There must be someone out there who could hold it all in his head.

[RobertGolddust]

I didn't do all the great on the LSAT, but I remember I went 4/5 and 5/7 on a couple games I was forced to solve in my head due to a lack of time.

[potus]

Is it possible? Anything is possible. Is it recommended or practical? No, not really.

[Barack O'Drama]

Is it possible? Anything is possible. Is it recommended or practical? No, not really.

TCR. Short of being Will Hunting or a savant of some sort, I would just diagram.

[momoyome]

My dad has been able to do very easy one-to-one sequencing games in his head, but I don't know why you wouldn't want to make a diagram. I think the people who could do games in their head would have photographic memories or something similar.

[BirdLawExpert]

Let me put it this way.

I know a guy who is essentially a young Will Shortz, a PhD mathematician who can do seven figure multiplication in his head without breaking a sweat, and also writes crosswords for the NY Times. Once upon a time he thought about going to law school post-PhD so he took the LSAT without studying. He missed almost all of the LG questions because he had no idea how to approach them.

So no, I don't really think it's possible, and if it is it takes a very, very specific kind of genius.

[tasteofcherry]

There have been a couple of grouping games that you can probably do without having to diagram. We're talking in all of LSAT history though. It does not happen often, there are questions you can work out in your head-- but without a main board/diagram? Anyone that chooses to do this is setting themselves up for a loss.

[KissMyAxe]

Let me put it this way.

I know a guy who is essentially a young Will Shortz, a PhD mathematician who can do seven figure multiplication in his head without breaking a sweat, and also writes crosswords for the NY Times. Once upon a time he thought about going to law school post-PhD so he took the LSAT without studying. He missed almost all of the LG questions because he had no idea how to approach them.

So no, I don't really think it's possible, and if it is it takes a very, very specific kind of genius.

This is ridiculous. It's definitely possible, and it doesn't require any kind of genius. I am definitely not a genius, but the first time I took a practice LSAT, I knew nothing about diagramming and went -3 on logic games. A friend of mine is blind. She had a reader and extended time, but she made a 176 on the LSAT, though she was unable to diagram. She's very smart, but not a genius either. I think your friend is probably also bright, but I see nothing that suggests your friend is a genius either. I know plenty of PhD mathematicians who I would not consider genii, a doctorate is more indicative of dedication and hard work than brilliance. Multiplying long numbers mentally uses an algorithm and is easily trainable. I believe the record is currently at twenty numbers. At any rate, none of these abilities would translate to logic puzzles, so I don't know why you felt the need to bring it up. You do not need to have any level of genius to mentally do logic games, you just have to possess a very strong memory. If you do, when you read the rules, you fit them together in your head, and can recall how they relate with one another. Not exactly the most complicated thing in the world.

That's not to say you should try to show off and do your logic games mentally OP. I diagrammed all my games. You can always be more precise if you have the puzzles on paper. I was just commenting on whether or not it is possible.

[Nik9639]

Removed.

[Barack O'Drama]

OP I guess I stand corrected. A lot of people ITT can do them in their heads. I am not one of them and I suck at logic games. Hoping to get better

[pancakes3]

Let me put it this way.

I know a guy who is essentially a young Will Shortz, a PhD mathematician who can do seven figure multiplication in his head without breaking a sweat, and also writes crosswords for the NY Times. Once upon a time he thought about going to law school post-PhD so he took the LSAT without studying. He missed almost all of the LG questions because he had no idea how to approach them.

So no, I don't really think it's possible, and if it is it takes a very, very specific kind of genius.

This is ridiculous. It's definitely possible, and it doesn't require any kind of genius. I am definitely not a genius, but the first time I took a practice LSAT, I knew nothing about diagramming and went -3 on logic games. A friend of mine is blind. She had a reader and extended time, but she made a 176 on the LSAT, though she was unable to diagram. She's very smart, but not a genius either. I think your friend is probably also bright, but I see nothing that suggests your friend is a genius either. I know plenty of PhD mathematicians who I would not consider genii, a doctorate is more indicative of dedication and hard work than brilliance. Multiplying long numbers mentally uses an algorithm and is easily trainable. I believe the record is currently at twenty numbers. At any rate, none of these abilities would translate to logic puzzles, so I don't know why you felt the need to bring it up. You do not need to have any level of genius to mentally do logic games, you just have to possess a very strong memory. If you do, when you read the rules, you fit them together in your head, and can recall how they relate with one another. Not exactly the most complicated thing in the world.

That's not to say you should try to show off and do your logic games mentally OP. I diagrammed all my games. You can always be more precise if you have the puzzles on paper. I was just commenting on whether or not it is possible.

Well now you're just being pedantic over the thread's conversational use of "genius". No one is saying that LGs are the most complicated thing in the world but being able to hold/visual information in your head and solve LGs to a degree that is comparable to pen/paper diagramming is impressive.

But as long as we're being pedantic, you said you "knew nothing about diagramming" but didn't say you "didn't diagram". If you actually sat down and didn't put any pen to paper (and did it timed) and went -3? Then yeah, you're probably a genius and didn't even know it - at least a genius in the context of this conversation. Your blind friend is even moreso - I don't know why you wouldn't qualify what she did as "genius". A handicapped genius perhaps but she's got some serious brainpower to go 176 blind.

[Nolachicken]

This is ridiculous. It's definitely possible, and it doesn't require any kind of genius. I am definitely not a genius

That!

I can easily do most of the games in my head, however, it's faster if I diagram. And LSAT time constraints pretty much force you to use diagrams.

I did not know you could diagram or even write on the test at first and got about 50% correct in lg. I am not a genius AT ALL. I think it is just a problem solving skill. I was good at math word problems when I was young.