Binary Grouping: Is It or Isn’t It?
To recognize a binary grouping game, we look for two things: (1) two groups into which we’re placing elements (that’s what makes it binary) and (2) conditional constraints.
On the June 2011 LSAT, there is a game masquerading as a binary grouping game. It asks us to place judges on one of two courts–appellate or trial–so it meets the first of the two criteria above. Many people see this, make their two columns, and get ready to draw some arrows. But when they get to the rules/constraints, they get stuck. You can’t draw arrows if you don’t have “ifs” and “thens.”
Check out the first game on Prep Test 63, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Did you fall for the trap?
The game offers a lesson that potentially could save valuable time–and points–on the test. Once you spot that you’re sorting elements into two groups, and that alerts your binary-grouping-‘dar, good for you. But you’re only halfway there. Don’t start making “in” and “out” columns until you scan the constraints to confirm they’re conditional. Otherwise, you’re about to spend the next few seconds (or more) wishing you had.