Q12

[arnreed]

Hi Everyone,

What is the fastest way to do number 12? There has to be an alternative route other than "plug and chug" that I'm just not seeing.

Thanks for your help!

[rinagoldfield]

Hi arnreed,
While plug-n-chug is a totally valid approach to any question, there sometimes are easier ways to see the right inference. In this case, it is possible to spot the van cannot go Thursday without chugging through all of the answer choices.

If we combine the first and second rules we get this relative ordering:

V – R – H – x

(x represents some unknown vehicle)

Since V has at least 4 vehicles going after it, V cannot go Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

Hope that helps.
Best,
Rina

[arnreed]

That makes sense.

I think the best approach to this is to realize that there are no inferences we can make for Thursday based on the set up of our game board. You can quickly look at each answer choice and defer since there are no obvious limitations. Once you get to choice E, you realize the Van is a leader of both R and H, however, H is not allowed to be in the Saturday spot given our first rule ("At least one of the vehicles is serviced later in the week than the hatchback").

*Revised thoughts below*

v-r-h is the given order of those three vehicles according to our rules. Rule 1 also notes that H cannot be in 6, giving us V-R-H-X, or at least one spot after H since it cannot be in Saturday.

When I was doing this problem set, I did not link the rule about the hatchback not being on Saturday with the V-R-H chunk. This, however, is a key inference.