What does respectively mean on the LSAT?

The usage of “respectively” on the LSAT can be a little tricky because it is not often used in everyday speech or writing. What does the word mean and how do you use it? The word means “in an order,” or “indicating rank.” It also conveys that two things are equal to each other. For example, if there were three students who scored 64% on their test, they would be listed as follows: Joe – 64%, Jill – 64%, and Jack-64%. 

Another way to approach questions that mention “respectively” is to read the question first, then look for something that tells you what order to put it in. 

Here’s an example of an LSAT question that has “respectively” in it:

Does Joe have more apples than Jill, and respectively less oranges than Jack? 

Here is another example of an LSAT question that mentions respectively in the question:

The number of apples, respectively the number of oranges, are four less than three times the total number of fruits. What is the minimum possible value for each fruit type?

In conclusion, “respectively” follows the order that information is listed in. It does not indicate or suggest anything about what numbers are greater or lesser than one another.