Logical reasoning PrepTest 102 · Section 2 · Question 14

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
Medieval Spain gold coin-most-Gold from West Africa/Senegal
Senegalese gold vs. other gold:
(1) 92% pure (purest known)
(2) Didn't need refining
(3) Can be recognized by gold content
Other gold - Could be refined above 92% pur
Senegalese gold - Never refined

Answer Anticipation:
This Paradox question adds a new premise into the question stem, so we need to be sure we understand what it's asking in that context.

Here, the new premise is that merchants wanted coins minted from Senegalese gold rather than other gold, continuing the comparative logic backbone of this question.

So why might merchants want Senegalese gold over other gold? Well, we know that Senegalese gold was never refined and was 92% gold. Other gold wasn't 92% gold and was refined. This should play into the correct answer—probably something along the lines of the merchants knowing exactly what they're getting when they're paid in coins minted from Senegalese gold.

Answer Explanation:
This answer plays off of the difference established between Senegalese gold and other gold. Senegalese gold was "never" refined and was always 92% gold—so merchants knew exactly how much gold they were getting. If other gold varied in purity, then a merchant could never know exactly how much gold they were getting when accepting those coins. That would explain why they'd opt for the Senegalese gold over other gold, so this answer is correct.

Key Takeaway:
While rare, question stems sometimes add crucial information to the stimulus. Always be sure to spend time to understand the new information in the context of the stimulus before anticipating an answer.

Incorrect. This provides no reason for merchants to opt for Senegalese gold over other gold—or, for that matter, to opt for gold over silver!

Incorrect. If the mints were able to determine purity, then they could stamp that onto the coin and thus allow merchants to know what they were getting. If this is the case, if anything, it provides a reason for merchants to be willing to accept other coins.

Incorrect. This answer is about the country that minted the coins, not the source of the gold that went into the minting, so it doesn't provide information that helps to explain the preference for Senegalese gold.

Incorrect. Since Senegalese gold was not refined, this, if anything, provides a reason for them to reject that gold in favor of other gold that had already undergone that process.