How to decide whether to use a chart or just columns in grouping games?

JulietteWest

I've made the mistake of drawing up a chart when I could have just used columns for a couple of PTs that had grouping games in them and it cost me a bunch of time. Any tips on how to figure out when a chart is needed? I guess you could do any "chart" setup on a regular "column" setup, so how do you decide when the chart is the way to go? Thanks!

csharm002

I used to struggle with this too, still do occasionally. Usually if there's a lot less variables in the game I'll set it up like a normal grouping game with columns. If there's more variables involved (ex: there's 5 businesses choosing a combination of 4 flowers over 3 years) then I'll do a chart. Most of the time I have success doing it this way, but I guess you could say nothing's 100%. Hope this helps!

deadheadseb

You can technically do charts in any grouping games, but really the only one you NEED to do charts on would be grouping games w/ repeating variables. IMO

Jordan Johnson

@JulietteWest,

@deadheadseb said:
You can technically do charts in any grouping games, but really the only one you NEED to do charts on would be grouping games w/ repeating variables. IMO

I second this. I kept switching between the two and found that charts seemed to be most beneficial only when almost all of the variables can repeat.

I would suggest trying to default to grouping if you can, just because there's less time taken to set things up and writing sub-game boards on a per-question basis.

PT 42, Game 4 is a good one to try to do using one setup and then the other. I found it to be more intuitive as a grouping game, but other (170+ scorers) said they immediately set it up as a chart.

I think a less-often specified component of games is that you need to be able to flexible with the setups you use. There is no official category for any game on the LSAT. Most of them can be set up in unique ways and still lead you to the correct answers.

ninamatryoshka

A chart is technically never "needed", even on games that people have used a chart on, you can do them as regular grouping games. You'll just have to remember that the variables aren't finite (they don't expire once you've put them into one group, so don't cross them out of your variable list). Your default should be to use a grouping structure.