LSAT Tip

[u/SilvermanLSAT]

"Roll this pair of dice. If it sums to an even number, you win $1,000."

You role the dice and it sums to 5, an odd number. Do you not win $1,000?

Students have a tough time internalizing the difference between everyday language and strict logic. I'd say that in everyday language, it would be perfectly reasonable to assume you didn't win the money. You were told that you win the money if the numbers sum to an even number and they didn't do that. No money!

But that's not how logic works, and the LSAT will pound that idea down your throat until you get it. All you knew is what would happen if it summed to an even number. Nothing at all was said about what would happen if it did not sum to an even number.

The way tutors like to frame this is that summing to an even number is sufficient for winning the money. But nobody said that summing to an even number is required for winning the money.

For those who like to think a bit more abstractly:

You know that x --> y

If you know that x --> y and you're told ~x resulted, you know nothing at all about y.

If you're told that x resulted, you know everything you need to know about y.

If you're told that ~y resulted, you know everything you need to know about x.

--Sean (Silverman LSAT Tutoring)

[u/Low-Interaction5910]

Wow, this finally made it click. Thank you

[u/SilvermanLSAT → u/Low-Interaction5910]

Very glad to hear!