LG Game 3 Question 12 Explanation, by LSATHacks
Unusually, this first question is not a “acceptable order/acceptable grouping” question. Instead, that question is question 14 for this game, and it is a fair bit harder than the typical acceptable order question.
Here, this first question instead is a rule based question. When given a new rule, you should try drawing it. The new rule is that M is only in Spring, and we can deduce three things:
- M is not in Fall, so V is (rule 3)
- H is not in Fall, since M isn’t (rule 1). This means H is in Spring, since every city must host at least once
- Vancouver can’t go in Spring, since V in spring requires VT, which requires two spaces (rule 2)
This leaves Fall quite restricted. There are only 5 variables (H, M, O, T, V), and M and H can’t go in Fall. That leaves only V, T, and O which can fill Fall’s three slots. So, we must place T and O in Fall along with V!
Similar logic applies to Spring. M and H are already there, and V can’t be, so one of T or O has to go in Spring.
Since this is a could be true question, the answer will involve the flexible variables, T and O. A and C are poor candidates because they mention H, and worse they contradict our diagram: H can’t be in Fall.
D and E are wrong because O and T need to be in Fall, since no one else can go there: V already is there, and M and H are forbidden because of the question’s rule + rule 1.
Which leaves B, which is CORRECT. Either T or O could be in both semesters.
I don’t get how rule 3 works here… It says either M or V or both. Having said that, why can’t V be with M here?
Well, the rule for this question says M is ONLY in spring. And since you need V or M in each place, that means V is fall.
Next, where can you put H? Not in fall, because then M would have to be in fall (rule 1). So, H must be in spring.
So, to answer your question: why can’t V be in Spring with M? Because rule 2 says V in spring –> T in spring. And because MH are already in spring, there’s not enough space for both V and T as well.
Draw it out step by step and look at each rule as you do. This is a great question to practice stepping through the rules to make deductions.
(You can only have three in each group)