Profile Charting
is a specific variation on the grouping games covered in Chapter
Four of the PowerScore
LSAT Logic Games Bible. In Profile
Charting games, there is typically a committee or panel being selected
from a pool of candidates, and the composition of the committee
must meet two or more specific criteria. Since the candidates will
have at least two different characteristics which relate to these
criteria (for example, male or female, research experience or no
research experience, senior or junior status, to name a few possible
characteristics), you should make a chart that lists the attributes
of each candidate. Also, since the number of spaces on the committee
is limited, there are always some candidates who are not selected
to serve on the committee or panel. Consider the following example:
| A
three-member advisory panel must be selected from a pool of
six candidates: A, B, C, D, E, and F. The panel is composed
of two women and one man, at least two of the members must
have military experience, and at least two of the members
must have doctoral degrees.
A, B,
C, and D are female; E and F are male.
C, D, E, and F have military experience.
B, C, D, and E have doctorate degrees. |
Clearly, a chart
that profiles each candidate will help efficiently organize the
attribute information:
| Candidate |
M/F |
Military
Exp? |
Doctorate
Degree? |
| A |
F |
N |
N |
| B |
F |
N |
Y |
| C |
F |
Y |
Y |
| D |
F |
Y |
Y |
| E |
M |
Y |
Y |
| F |
M |
Y |
N |
|
Additionally,
a simple diagram representing the panel would also be helpful:
_____
_____ _____
2 F
/ 1 M
At least 2 Military Exp.
At least 2 Doctorate Degrees
If the game
consisted solely of the above rules, it would be quite beneficial
to take a moment to make a few quick hypotheticals before attacking
the questions. First, examine any pair of identical variables. For
example, since C and D are both females with military experience
and doctorate degrees; if they were both selected they would fulfill
the criteria regarding military experience and doctorate degrees.
Thus, they could be paired with either of the males, E or F (C-D-E
or C-D-F, although their order is irrelevant). Other hypotheticals
include B-C-E and B-D-E. In fact, the rules and profile information
are so limiting that only four more possible panel configurations
exist in addition to the four just discussed: B-C-F, B-D-F, A-C-E,
and A-D-E. Thus, there are only eight possible solutions to this
game.
Profile Charting
games appear infrequently (the only one to appear in the last decade
was the first game of the October 2001 LSAT), but they can be difficult
for the unprepared student. Take a few minutes to complete the drill
below.
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TO THE TOP
Answer
the following four questions based on your knowledge of profile
charting.
Answer Key Below.
| An
oversight committee is being formed by the local county government.
There will be seven members on the committee, at least four
of which must be women. No more than two can be from local
businesses, and at least three must be local activists. The
county government must also be represented on the committee.
The following is known about several candidates for the committee:
Ilio,
Harris, Foutwell, and Barry are local female activists.
Davis and Gunderson were boy scouts, and both are now local
businessmen.
Gunderson and Ilio do not serve together.
Carter is a male who owns the largest local business in
the county.
Adams and Edmunds are sisters who both work for the county,
but they will not serve together.
The people mentioned above are the only candidates for the
committee.
Local activists do not work for local businesses or the
county government.
Local businesspeople do not work for the county government.
1.
Which of the following is not necessarily false?
(A)
Barry is a businessman.
(B) Edmunds is a female activist.
(C) Davis does not serve.
(D) Gunderson is a businesswoman.
(E) Adams does not serve.
2.
Which of the following pairs of candidates must be on the
committee?
(A)
Adams and Barry
(B) Gunderson and Carter
(C) Foutwell and Harris
(D) Edmunds and Ilio
(E) Adams and Foutwell
3.
Which of the following statements could be true?
I.
Davis and Gunderson serve together.
II. Carter and Barry serve together.
III. Adams and Edmunds serve together.
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) I and II only
(E) II and III only
4.
Which of the following is a complete and accurate list
of the candidates that must be chosen for the committee?
(A)
Barry, Foutwell, and Harris
(B) Barry, Foutwell, Harris, and Davis
(C) Barry, Foutwell, Harris, and Carter
(D) Barry, Foutwell, Harris, Davis, and Carter
(E) Barry, Foutwell, Harris, Davis, Carter, and Ilio
|
| There
are nine candidates for seven positions. Since A and E cannot
serve together, and G and I cannot serve together, from the
pool of A, E, G, and I, only two candidates can serve. This
means that the remaining five candidates,B, H, F, D, and C,must
serve on the committee. However, since D and C must both serve,
and both are local businessmen, they completely fulfill the
requirement that "no more than two members can be from
local businesses." Thus, G cannot serve on the committee
and therefore I must serve on the committee. Consequently, the
only choice for the committee is whether A or E serves. The
two possible committee scenarios are: B-H-F-D-C-I-A or B-H-F-D-C-I-E.
1. E
2. C
3. B
- Roman numeral questions such as this one
no longer appear on the LSAT. However, this is a drill, and
not intended to be a reproduction of an LSAT game. For the
purposes of learning, the Roman numeral format can be quite
useful.
4. E
- The answer choices in this problem can be used to answer
question #2.
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