Convert the clues into checks you can use.
- List the pieces. Write the people, objects, positions or numbers that matter.
- Mark fixed facts first. A statement such as “Ava is first” places one item immediately.
- Test one condition at a time. Do not choose an option because it fits the first clue; it must fit all of them.
- Say why the other options fail. This makes elimination more reliable and gives you a way to review an error.
If a puzzle becomes confusing, draw a short row of boxes or a two-column table. The drawing is not extra work: it prevents your memory from silently changing a condition halfway through.
Worked example: arrange the presentation order.
Original question
Four students — Ava, Ben, Chi and Dev — give short presentations, one at a time. Ava presents first. Ben presents after Chi. Dev does not present last. Can we determine who presents second from these clues?
Step 1: Make four positions: 1, 2, 3, 4. Ava is fixed in position 1.
Step 2: Ben must be after Chi. Dev cannot be position 4. If Chi were position 3, Ben would need position 4 and Dev would need position 2. That works: Ava, Dev, Chi, Ben.
Step 3: Check whether another arrangement changes position 2. If Chi is position 2, Ben can be position 3 or 4, but Dev must take the remaining position and cannot be last. Ben must therefore be position 4 and Dev position 3. Position 2 is Chi.
Answer: No. Position 2 can be Dev or Chi, so the clues do not determine one student. A good reasoning response recognises that the information is insufficient instead of forcing a favourite answer.
Self-check: test every clue.
Three library books — Atlas, Birdsong and Cloud Map — are placed left to right. Atlas is not on the left. Birdsong is immediately to the left of Cloud Map. Which order is possible?
- A. Atlas, Birdsong, Cloud Map
- B. Birdsong, Cloud Map, Atlas
- C. Cloud Map, Birdsong, Atlas
- D. Birdsong, Atlas, Cloud Map
Check your thinking: The answer is B. It keeps Birdsong immediately before Cloud Map and puts Atlas somewhere other than the left. If you chose another option, identify the specific condition it breaks. That last check is the habit to carry into the next question.
Use the method in a wider plan.
Original SteadyMarks teaching examples for independent practice. Check the target school and AAS for current assessment arrangements.