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Finding Subtle Deductions in Logic Games

Today’s post is in response to a student question about Logic Games:

Other than looking for variables in common, how can you find ways to get deductions from combining rules?

Of course, the easiest way to make deductions is to look at multiple rules covering the same variable or spot. But as the student asks, what about when that doesn’t happen? It doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be found. It’s often all about what takes up space.

In an ordering game, if there are multiple blocks, especially if they’re big, assess how they’ll fit together. Will they have to overlap? Will they get in each other’s way? Sometimes, this leads to a concrete deduction.

deductions / logic games / LSAT / scenarios

Defeating Tricky Logic Games Through Scenarios

It’s Saturday night and, of course, you’re taking the time to relax, kick back, and organize your action figures. You’ve got a fine collection of seven treasured man-dolls, but prized among all others are Qui Gon Jinn, Obi Wan Kenobi, young Anakin Skywalker, and Luke. Naturally you keep them in that order, to remain consistent with their apprenticeships and paternal lineage. A true thing of beauty.

But you puzzle, as you push your glasses up on your nose, how many ways you could arrange your seven total action figures, while maintaining the Force-endowed Foursome block. Naturally, you need to have Batman first and Superman last, to keep them apart and prevent them from fighting. What options does this leave you?

We’re dealing with a big block of four players, and there’s really only so many places it can go.

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deductions / diagramming / logic games / LSAT preparation

Three Frequent LSAT Prep Struggles

LSAT prep might feel like a fresh new form of torture to you, but the truth is that students have been slaving under LSAC overlords for years upon years. It just so happens that I’ve also been teaching the LSAT for a few years myself. And while each and every student I’ve taught is a special and unique snowflake, over time I’ve noticed a few trends in terms of the questions students ask most often. Now you, dear reader, can be the beneficiary of my years of accumulated wisdom. Behold, some of the most common issues faced by people studying for the LSAT:

Timing
Timing is a delicate balance – you want to increase your speed, of course, but not at the expense of accuracy. We’ve actually run a great series of posts on increasing your speed: check out some general tips on improving speed, a delightful post chock full of tips for Reading Comprehension, and even more tips on Logic Games. All three posts are worth reading, so go ahead – take a gander right now. Really; I’ll wait.

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deductions / logic games / LSAT

It’s Elementary: Two Steps To Find Deductions in Logic Games

If you’ve spent any length of time studying the Logic Games section of the LSAT, you’ve probably realized that deductions (or inferences, as you may call them) can make or break a game. Sometimes they’ll simply help you get through a game more quickly; sometimes you won’t even be able to answer a question without having caught the deduction.

So deductions are, to put it lightly, important. Unfortunately, they can also be tricky to spot. When working through a game, after building the setup and representing rules, here are a couple of good areas to start your search for deductions.