LSAT (Law School Admission Test)Analytical ReasoningMedium
Five individuals—P, Q, R, S, T—are to be assigned to five distinct tasks, one person per task. The tasks are numbered 1 through 5. The assignments must adhere to the following rules: 1. P cannot be assigned to Task 1. 2. Q must be assigned to an odd-numbered task. 3. R must be assigned to a task with a higher number than S. 4. T must be assigned to Task 3. If S is assigned to Task 4, which of the following must be true?
- AR is assigned to Task 5.
- BP is assigned to Task 2.
- CS is assigned to Task 4.
- DQ is assigned to Task 5.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. R is assigned to Task 5.
If S is assigned to Task 4, then R must be assigned to a task with a higher number than S (rule 3). The only task remaining with a higher number than 4 is Task 5. Therefore, R must be assigned to Task 5.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. P cannot be assigned to Task 1. If T is 3, S is 4, R is 5. Q is an odd task (1). So P must be 2. This is true, but the question asks what *must* be true, and this is a consequence of other deductions, not the most direct. R being 5 is a more direct deduction.
- C. This is the premise given in the question, not something that *must be true* as a result of the premise. It's simply a restatement of the premise.
- D. Q must be assigned to an odd-numbered task. The odd tasks are 1, 3, 5. T is 3. So Q can be 1 or 5. It does not *have* to be 5.
Direct Positional Deduction
Inferring the specific position or assignment of an element based on a combination of rules and a given condition.
- Often involves identifying remaining available slots.
- Leverages 'greater than' or 'less than' relationships.
- Results in a single, unavoidable assignment.
Memory trick: People Place, Tasks Have Slots.