When to use a Chart on LG and when not to

The 180 Bro_OVO

A friend and I were discussing PT68, Section4, Game 3. I was trying to articulate why a chart was needed in that particular game and when to use charts in general. And I discovered that I couldn't explain it clearly. And I think that's a problem. In my mind, it indicates a lack of mastery.

So, if someone asked you when it's necessary to use a chart and when not to, how would you respond?

(for those of you who don't know what I mean by "chart", check out the game I mentioned earlier.)

Alex

@BinghamtonDave had a very amazing explanation on this topic a couple of months back. I forgot which thread, but hopefully he sees this and can answer you. He is the freakin' LG master! Listen to this man

The 180 Bro_OVO

hahah Sounds good!

also,
I'll have to definitely give this a listen.

https://7sage.com/webinar/splitting-boards/

BinghamtonDave

Hey folks, I have been absent recently due to an emergency in my immediate family. I am going to restart my studies sometime in the next week or so, slowly ramping up to full speed.

Let me first address the idea of a chart as a tool we can use on LG in the most lucid way I can. I think the OP has a point that a sign of true mastery comes with the ability to clearly describe things.

Like many tools on this exam, a chart can assist us in seeing or even discovering things both more instinctually and with greater confidence. Time is money on this exam and to this end, a chart can save time. A chart often saves time by allowing us to "see" right in front of us the way rules interact. So to the question: why a chart? My answer would be that with the usage of a chart we can potentially see how rules interact with a higher degree of confidence.

An additional question we might ask is "when should we use a chart?" To answer this, I should defer to what I consider the paradigmatic example on the LSAT of when a chart can be of great assistance. PT 48 Game 3. We know that this game would be made easier with a chart because the variable we are assigning to our people are not exhaustible. What this means is that we are able to use the variables (VCRs, TVs, Radios) more than once across our game board. Other grouping games we will only be able to use a variable once.

I also think that there is another reason that assists us in answering the "when should we use a chart" question. And that is on 48 Game 3, the rules indicate a high degree of relationships between the two groups: Rules 2 and 3 are related and one can complete both Yolanda's full repairs and Stacy's full repairs by deferring to the fact that every person must repair "at least 1" in line 3 of the stimulus. Reading on, Rules 2 and 4 can be pushed together to additionally complete Zane's repairs. Moving beyond that, we also know what Wim cannot repair. So just by reading the rules, we are left with this representation going into the questions: *the checkmarks mean completely filled out and the yellow blocks are what is left for us to actually fill in for the questions.

So given this, heading into the questions, with reference to our chart: question 13 can be answered with full confidence and quite fast. With reference to our chart: Number 16 can be answered with a high degree of confidence and quite quickly. The other questions in the set require a reading and sometimes a translation from the abstract language to our chart. Given the fact that we have a chart, I actually read all the answers choices and confidently eliminate the wrong answer choices and select the one I can prove.

In summation: we use a chart when elements repeat and are not exhaustible and when rules look like they are heavily related to the categories provided. We use a chart because it can save time and lend to a more confident command of the game and the questions.

A chart is not a panacea, some disagree with its usage, some agree with me. The opinions expressed above are from my personal strategy to LG.

Alex

@BinghamtonDave said:
Hey folks, I have been absent recently due to an emergency in my immediate family. I am going to restart my studies sometime in the next week or so, slowly ramping up to full speed.

Let me first address the idea of a chart as a tool we can use on LG in the most lucid way I can. I think the OP has a point that a sign of true mastery comes with the ability to clearly describe things.

Like many tools on this exam, a chart can assist us in seeing or even discovering things both more instinctually and with greater confidence. Time is money on this exam and to this end, a chart can save time. A chart often saves time by allowing us to "see" right in front of us the way rules interact. So to the question: why a chart? My answer would be that with the usage of a chart we can potentially see how rules interact with a higher degree of confidence.

An additional question we might ask is "when should we use a chart?" To answer this, I should defer to what I consider the paradigmatic example on the LSAT of when a chart can be of great assistance. PT 48 Game 3. We know that this game would be made easier with a chart because the variable we are assigning to our people are not exhaustible. What this means is that we are able to use the variables (VCRs, TVs, Radios) more than once across our game board. Other grouping games we will only be able to use a variable once.

I also think that there is another reason that assists us in answering the "when should we use a chart" question. And that is on 48 Game 3, the rules indicate a high degree of relationships between the two groups: Rules 2 and 3 are related and one can complete both Yolanda's full repairs and Stacy's full repairs by deferring to the fact that every person must repair "at least 1" in line 3 of the stimulus. Reading on, Rules 2 and 4 can be pushed together to additionally complete Zane's repairs. Moving beyond that, we also know what Wim cannot repair. So just by reading the rules, we are left with this representation going into the questions: *the checkmarks mean completely filled out and the yellow blocks are what is left for us to actually fill in for the questions.

So given this, heading into the questions, with reference to our chart: question 13 can be answered with full confidence and quite fast. With reference to our chart: Number 16 can be answered with a high degree of confidence and quite quickly. The other questions in the set require a reading and sometimes a translation from the abstract language to our chart. Given the fact that we have a chart, I actually read all the answers choices and confidently eliminate the wrong answer choices and select the one I can prove.

In summation: we use a chart when elements repeat and are not exhaustible and when rules look like they are heavily related to the categories provided. We use a chart because it can save time and lend to a more confident command of the game and the questions.

A chart is not a panacea, some disagree with its usage, some agree with me. The opinions expressed above are from my personal strategy to LG.

I hope everything turns out ok for you @BinghamtonDave.

Thanks for that awesome explanation! Your LG posts end up helping me for questions I don't ask. I actually encountered that game a couple of months back. I agree totally agree with your explanation on charts; especially that they can provide that extra confidence when tackling the questions for certain games like this.