LSAT Question Explanation
PT 108, Section 3, Question 18
Must be FalseExplanation
So we know about the rules for some prison guards.
- If a prisoner tries to escape, you have to chase them.
- If no prisoner is trying to escape, you have to stay at your post.
And we know that Chelas violated the rules and Stelma did not. Because the question stem says "each of the following could be true except," we're looking for an answer choice that cannot be compatible with Chelas violating the rules and Stelma not violating them.
Answer choices
This is quite possible. It doesn't indicate whether either of them broke the rules during their shift.
This could be true. For example, maybe someone tried to escape and Stelma pursued them while Chelas did not pursue them. In this case Chelas would have violated the rules while Stelma did not.
Similar to (B), this could be true. For example, maybe no one tried to escape so Stelma stayed put as she should. Meanwhile, maybe Chelas left the post for a smoke break, breaking the rules.
This cannot be true. If a prisoner tried to escape during their shift and neither Chelas nor Stelma chased them, then they would have both been in violation of the rules. But the stimulus said that Stelma did not violate the rules.
This could be true. For example, if Stelma left their post at 7pm because they were chasing the prisoner, Stelma would not be in violation of the rules. And if Chelas left their post at 6pm to get a snack and there was no prisoner escaping at the time, Chelas would be in violation of the rules.