Logical reasoning PrepTest 116 · Section 3 · Question 7

Incorrect. The argument relies on skeletal remains being a source of information about prehistoric hominids, not the primary source.

Incorrect. Assuming that the hominids were chasing and tackling animals to eat them (which is probably a safe bet), this information just happened to be discovered through analyzing skeletal remains—it wasn't something the researchers set out to discover because of how important a piece of information it was.

Incorrect. The only evidence cited is indirect evidence, so this answer about direct evidence being available is out of scope.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
Prehistoric hominid skeletons have fractures similar to modern—day rodeo riders, so the causes of these fractures are probably similar (chasing/tackling animals).

Answer Anticipation:
This argument is all about using a similarity between two groups to conclude that they are similar in another way. And, in particular, we can relate these similarities to a common type of logic—causality.

The stimulus establishes that rodeo riders have skeletal fractures of a specific type caused by chasing and tackling animals. Prehistoric humans have similar fractures, so the argument concludes that they're caused by similar activities.

The answer, therefore, should allow this comparison to hold:
If two populations have a similar effect, then it's probably the result of a similar cause.

Answer Explanation:
The effects of some type of activity here are compared—prehistoric hominids had similar skeletal fractures to modern—day rodeo riders. From this, it's concluded that the causes of these fractures—the type of activity resulting in them—was similar. This answer justifies the conclusion of the argument, and it is therefore the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
Always focus on types of logic that repeat on the LSAT! This stimulus featured both comparisons and causality, and they both featured in the correct answer.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of the frequency of fractures in either population, or the frequency of the activity, so this answer is out of scope.