Why is the answer B? I picked D. I feel that D is just a good an answer as B. We would get:
M X F P J
X R T X N
In locker 1 M is alone and locker 2 R is alone. Locker 3 has F and T. That leaves P, J, and N. J has to share and N cannot be in locker 4. So J and N are in locker 5. Which leaves P in locker 4.
Where as, answer B the inferences I made do not place everyone where they need to be. I get:
M P/ F /P J
X R/ T /R N
In locker 1 M is alone and locker 2 can have R or P. Locker 3 has F and T. Locker 4 can have P or R. Locker 5 has J and N. If you have J in locker 5. You know you can't have N in locker 2 and 4 which leaves locker 5. But you don't know with certainty which lockers R and P go into. Can someone please explain what inferences I'm missing with answer choice B that makes it right? Thank you.
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Elle Woods
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Atticus Finch
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Re: Q2
I think you’re misunderstanding how to deal with a "must be true" question.
You seem to be interpreting the task as "Which one of these answer choices will make everyone fall into place?" That is NOT our task.
The task is, "Which one of these answer choices CANNOT BE OTHERWISE?" "Which one is mandatory?" The other four are flexible.
When you attack a Must Be True question you, NEVER test what the answer choices say. Testing an answer choice only tells you whether it’s POSSIBLE / IMPOSSIBLE.
On Must Be True, we need to know whether something is MANDATORY / FLEXIBLE.
The only way to test flexibility is to try something OTHER than what the answer choice says.
The scenario you provided for (D) is something that COULD be true. It’s possible. Is it MANDATORY that Rachel is in locker 2?
No, let’s put her in locker 4.
M P F X J
X X T R N
By AVOIDING putting R in locker 2, we have learned that (D) doesn’t HAVE to be true. We can eliminate it.
You explained the question marvelously when you said
In locker 1 M is alone and locker 2 can have R or P.
Exactly! That’s why (D) doesn’t HAVE to be true.
Locker 3 has F and T. Locker 4 can have P or R. Locker 5 has J and N. If you have J in locker 5. You know you can't have N in locker 2 and 4 which leaves locker 5. But you don't know with certainty which lockers R and P go into.
As you discovered, J and N must be in locker 5.
You had the answer right in front of you, just a little confusion about what the question is asking. Again, (B) is NOT saying that assigning J to locker 5 determines where everyone will go.
All (B) is saying is that J is DEFINITELY in locker 5. You agree with (B)!
(D) is saying that R is DEFINITELY in locker 2. You disagree with (D) ... as you said, "you don’t know with certainty which lockers R and P go into".
Hope this helps.
You seem to be interpreting the task as "Which one of these answer choices will make everyone fall into place?" That is NOT our task.
The task is, "Which one of these answer choices CANNOT BE OTHERWISE?" "Which one is mandatory?" The other four are flexible.
When you attack a Must Be True question you, NEVER test what the answer choices say. Testing an answer choice only tells you whether it’s POSSIBLE / IMPOSSIBLE.
On Must Be True, we need to know whether something is MANDATORY / FLEXIBLE.
The only way to test flexibility is to try something OTHER than what the answer choice says.
The scenario you provided for (D) is something that COULD be true. It’s possible. Is it MANDATORY that Rachel is in locker 2?
No, let’s put her in locker 4.
M P F X J
X X T R N
By AVOIDING putting R in locker 2, we have learned that (D) doesn’t HAVE to be true. We can eliminate it.
You explained the question marvelously when you said
In locker 1 M is alone and locker 2 can have R or P.
Exactly! That’s why (D) doesn’t HAVE to be true.
Locker 3 has F and T. Locker 4 can have P or R. Locker 5 has J and N. If you have J in locker 5. You know you can't have N in locker 2 and 4 which leaves locker 5. But you don't know with certainty which lockers R and P go into.
As you discovered, J and N must be in locker 5.
You had the answer right in front of you, just a little confusion about what the question is asking. Again, (B) is NOT saying that assigning J to locker 5 determines where everyone will go.
All (B) is saying is that J is DEFINITELY in locker 5. You agree with (B)!
(D) is saying that R is DEFINITELY in locker 2. You disagree with (D) ... as you said, "you don’t know with certainty which lockers R and P go into".
Hope this helps.
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