If exactly two of the applications are evaluated by Tipton, then each of the following must be true EXCEPT:

Lamont January 17, 2022

question 5

If exactly two of the applications are evaluated by Tipton, then each of the following must be true EXCEPT: I read the explanation when reviewing the answer. However, I thought this question was pointing to the polar opposite as the correct answer. I scan the answers so I know which side to narrow. which side to stay on. For instance, the answer would be a true answer type. Question 5 is saying all but one of the questions are true (100%) right? The word "EXCEPT" threw me off. What I should've been looking for was the polar opposite of "Must be True" to lead me to the answer. Is my reasoning correct?

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Lamont January 17, 2022

I see where I made the mistake. I was looking at my notes and looked at "Cannot be False." However, the answer choices were pointing to the trues side. Does the LSAT answers choices similar to the rule you have taught us?

jakennedy January 17, 2022

Hi Lamont,

You have to be careful when you see except. You should not go to the polar opposite word.

In this case, it says the following must be true EXCEPT for one. As you said, this means that four of the answer choices must be true 100% of the time. The fifth answer choice need not be true 0% of the time, however. If an answer choice is true 95% of the time, it still falls short of 100%, so it would still be correct. This question, then is a could be true, not a must be true.

Takeaway - If you see EXCEPT, you can make the following translations:

Must turns into Could
Could turns into Must

True turns into False
False turns into True

Example 1:

Each of the following could be false except:

could ? must
false ? true

So the correct answer MUST be TRUE

Example 2:

Each of the following must be false except:

must ? could
false ? true

So the correct answer COULD be TRUE

Example 3:

Each of the following must be true except:

must ? could
true ? false

So the correct answer COULD be FALSE

Example 4:

Each of the following could be true except:

could ? must
true ? false

So the correct answer MUST be FALSE

In short:

Must <--> Could
True <--> False