Logic Games: Weaknesses Flashcards
- Maximum Minimum Questions
Questions in logic games asking you to find the maximum and minimum number of possibilities in a given scenario.
Two ways you might encounter Maximum / Minimum Questions
- Question stem might asks…
- what is the minimum / maximum number of variables that fit in a space between exactly two other variables?
- what is the minimum / maximum number of places that one variable can fill? - Question stem might asks…
- what is the minimum / maximum number of spaces that can exist between two variables?
- what is the minimum / maximum number of variables that can exist between two variables?
Question Stem Examples:
- What is the maximum possible number of speeches any one of which could be the one given on the third day? (Gbl. / MBT / Max questions)
- What is the minimum number of different procedures that can be used by the six surgeons? (Gbl. / MBT / Min questions)
- What is the minimum possible number of houses between the Tanners and Carrolls, counting from east to west. (Gbl. / MBT / Min questions)
Characteristics of Maximum / Minimum Questions:
- The answer choices will usually be numbers.
- However, remember, question stem will usually force you to create a minimum/maximum situation, then asks about an aspect of the scenario. (Ex. “If as many of the parents attended the meeting possible, that group would consist of…” | In this example, you would have to find the maximum possible number to answer the questions).
- Questions stems use the word “could” a lot which leads test takers to think they’re dealing with could be true question. BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. The question is asking you to make an exact determination using maximums, and minimums, so it is actually a MUST BE TRUE question.
How to Solve Maximum / Minimum Questions:
- Check your work (set-up / diagramming) to eliminate incorrect answers and confirm correct answers.
- Consider (abstract relationships between the rules) inferences you make from rules that help to answer questions. (Ex. Let’s say a question asks you about the maximum number of variables that can be selected for a group. You know based on the rules you have a maximum of 6 variables, but you made an inference (along the way) that A<—|—> B. So the answer is 5 is the maximum.)
- If there’s still contention between your answers (you still have a considerable number of contenders), according to each answer choice, create the greatest/least possible numbers (create minimum and maximum situations for each, finding violations of the rules) and narrow your answer choices.
- Justify Questions
Questions that asks you to find the scenario that forces a certain effect (given the question stem).
Example Justify Question
“P must be the first singer to perform if which one of the following is true?”
(A) Q performs second.
(B) R performs fourth.
(C) S performs fifth.
(D) T performs fifth.
(E) V performs seventh.
Characteristic of Justify Questions
Justify questions aren’t what you would normally expect in the fold of logic games questions. These are questions that are flipped “upside down” in a sense.
Normally, a question stem would tell tell you the given scenario in the question stem, and asks you to find the certain effect that’s been forced by the scenario in the answer choice.
With Justify questions, we’re given the certain effect that’s been forced in the question stem, and we’re asked to find the given scenario that forces that effect in the answer choices.
How to Solve Justify Questions
1.
- Focus on which variables are the strongest (i.e. have the greatest impact on other variables).
- Focus on which spaces in the diagram have the most limitations/restrictions (the spaces with the most limitations are important to answering the question)
- Look for answers that present the kind of limitations that are needed to achieve the desired outcome.
Incorrect Answer Choices of Justify Questions
Answer choices that COULD bring about the certain effect (stated in the stimulus), but don’t HAVE to.
Remember, the question stem says the certain effect MUST happen, if which one of the following are true.
If we choose an answer that Could bring about that certain effect, but Could also NOT bring about the certain effect–but a different one–then it is not the right answer.
Suspension Questions Definition
Question types that are found towards the end (usually) of the game.
Questions that suspend a rule of the game.
Question will usually ask ‘if rule x is suspended and all other rules remained the same, then which one of the following could be true?”
If you’re pressed for time, why would it be best to abstain from Suspension Questions?
Again, they require that you eliminate a rule. This forces you to re-diagram the rules, the relationships between the rules, and the inferences that exist between the variables.
(It essentially requires a categorical re-diagramming).
As a result, there are a number of more possibilities for the question.
(This is a question that one should maybe skip, or come back to if they’re pressed for time.)
Rule Substitution Questions
Questions that suspend one of the initial rules and ask you to substitute it with a rule that has the same effect.
Questions are ALWAYS seen at the end of the game.
Characteristics of Rule Substitution Questions
They present an unusual combination of Suspension and Justify Questions.
Suspension Q Component: these questions ask you to suspend an initial rule of the game.
Justify Q Component: The suspended rule had a certain effect on the game (until it was suspended). The game wants you to find the given scenario (substitution rule) that would have the same effects as the rule suspended.
Ways to Attack Rule Substitution Questions
Figure out what type of relationship was contained in the suspended rule: was it a block rule? conditional? sequence?
Figure out which variables from the suspended rule were related to other variables from separate rules.
Focus on Rule-to-Rule Questions
- Evaluate the relationship between the suspended rule and other rules in the problem, to find the correct answer.
Focus on Rule-to-Inference Questions
- Evaluate the relationship between the suspended rule and inferences based on other rules the suspended rule is related to, to find the correct answer.
