Logical reasoning PrepTest 103 · Section 1 · Question 3

Question prompt

The number of calories Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: E

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Errors in Reasoning Questions

Stimulus Summary

Similarity - Cane sugar and fructose have the same calories per gram Conclusion (Similarity) - Candies with the same amount of cane sugar and fructose have the same calories

Answer Anticipation

When we’re reading Errors in Reasoning question arguments, we should be trying to identify relevant concepts that are associated with particular flaws. Here, we have two. The argument is heavily based on comparisons, which suggests some type of comparison flaw. And it discusses ingredients that make up a food - in other words, parts and wholes. Since a Part vs. Whole flaw is a type of comparison flaw, we’re likely dealing with one. So we know that equivalent amounts of cane sugar and fructose have the same number of calories. Does that mean that candies that have the same amount of cane sugar and fructose will have the same number of calories? Nope - maybe they have other ingredients that also have calories. If that’s the case, then the whole (candies) may not match what is true of the parts (sugar ingredient). Let’s find an answer that reflects this jump.

Answer choices

  1. A
    fails to consider the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    The conclusion is about calories, not noncaloric nutrients. Also, fruit is only mentioned as a source of fructose, not as a relevant ingredient in any type of candy.
  2. B
    presupposes that all candy Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The argument deals with two candies that have “a given amount” of sugar,” so it doesn’t assume that all candies have similar amounts of sugar. Instead, it limits itself to talking about two types of candy (fructose-based; sugar cane-based) that are made with the same amount of sugar.
  3. C
    confuses one kind of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    The argument distinguishes between two types of sugar, but it never confuses them for each other.
  4. D
    presupposes what it sets Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    The argument isn’t Circular, and it doesn’t assume anything about the caloric content of fruit, as the conclusion is about two types of candy (one of which happens to use fruit-based sugar).
  5. E
    overlooks the possibility that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E matches the stem
    This answer highlights the incomplete comparison/Part two Whole flaw. The argument establishes that the sugar-based calories of the two candies are equivalent, but it doesn’t prove its conclusion that the overall calorie content is the same. The candies could have other ingredients which contribute to the calorie counts of the candies.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 5%
  2. B 2%
  3. C 4%
  4. D 4%
  5. E Credited 85%

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