Sufficient & Necessary Questions - - Question 40

An air traveler in Beijing cannot fly to Lhasa without first flying to Chengdu. Unfortunately, an air traveler in Be...

Mia6 April 10, 2016

Diagramming

Hi I'm just wondering if we are expected to diagram each answer choice?? This would delay my answer time and there's no way I'd finish in 1:24 ! Would you please make a video or give advice on what signals or triggers that we need to diagram EACH answer choice? With regard to S&N? Thanks!

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irinacionca October 11, 2017

Hi Maha,

This will sound highly unorthodox and the LSAT teachers will probably not like me saying this - but I figured out the right answer without even diagramming it first. This is the method I rely on (my intuitive developed logic from practicing all of these types of questions) to get through some questions fast. I have not verified this, but I can already tell you I am positive this is an "easy-level" type question on this part of the LSAT.

Here is how I figured out the answer. Just from understanding that one has to pass through a location to get to another (as the problem states), you understand that the answer choice that is correct must provide a result with an intermediary step such as is states in answer choice B) with the paint. You have to understand that the transitive property comes through each sentence leading up to the conclusion in this problem. Once you get that, it's easy to pick out which one has a similar transitive property answer.

irinacionca October 11, 2017

*such as is stated*

ajzoulis October 24, 2017

I agree with Irina on this one!

Kyra September 3, 2018

Is the answer A for this question? I cannot see the video explanation.

Mehran September 4, 2018

Hi @Kyra, thanks for your post. The correct answer here is (B).

Let's analyze the stimulus. This one presents an argument, as follows:
P: An air traveler in Beijing cannot fly to Lhasa without first flying to Chengdu.
(If Beijing to Lhasa, then fly through Chengdu)
B to L ==> Ch

P: An air traveling in Beijing must fly to Xian before flying to Chengdu.
(If Chengdu, then Xian)
Ch ==> X

C: Any air traveler who flies from Beijing to Lhasa cannot avoid flying to Xian.
B to L ==> X
(via transitive property combining premises 1 & 2)

Answer choice (B) parallels this reasoning.
P: An ice-sculpture artist cannot reach the yellow level of achievement without first achieving the green level.
(If yellow level, then green level first)
Y ==> G

P: The green level is impossible to achieve unless the white level has already been achieved.
(If green, then white level first)
G ==> W

C: Therefore, an ice-sculpture artist who has reached the yellow level must have previously achieved the white level.
Y ==> W
(yes, via transitive property combining premises 1 & 2)