If someone leaves two messages, then that means that five people leave messages. So F, P, T, H and L are in. P has to be before T, and H has to be before L.
A is CORRECT. This could be the order:
B is wrong. If H is first, P must be last (rule 3).
C is wrong. If L leaves the first message, then L is not before H. That can’t happen when P is in (which is always).
D is wrong because if P leaves the last message, then they therefore leave a message after T. That can’t happen when F is in (rule 5).
E is wrong because T leaves a message before P, if T leaves the first message.
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Olivia says
I don’t know if I am just missing something, but how are you able to automatically assume that G isn’t going to be included?
TutorRosalie (LSATHacks) says
The explanation in the game setup shows that P, T, H and L always have to be included. One of F and G is excluded since one person left two messages. Combining Rules 4 and 5 give us this logical relationship:
G –> F –> P…
First let’s look at the G F relationship: G is the sufficient element while F is the necessary element. This means that if G leaves a message, F must have left a message. On the other hand, F can leave a message without G leaving a message.
What this means is that it’s not possible for G to be included with P, T, H, and L if F isn’t: F is the crucial link between G and the rest of the logic chain, and without F, G can’t be included. Thus, if only 5 out of the 6 people can leave a message, G must be the one who doesn’t.
Greta says
Thank you Graeme,
Couldn’t the person leaving the first and last messages have left 3 messages? Or does the question infer that they left exactly 2 messages? (In which case 5 people leave messages).
Thank you very much if you have any guidance on this one!
Greta
Angela says
Hi, what messed me up here was the wording of the question: “The first and last messages on the answering machine could be the first and second messages left by which one of the following?” When I read that, it sounds like first and last = first and second, and it can only be one person because of the answer choices, so for example if F is first and last, then F is first and second and last. Three messages by one person. But that’s not it, right? How can I understand this better? Thanks for your help!