Logical reasoning PrepTest 132 · Section 4 · Question 21

Question prompt

It is virtually certain Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: A

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

Question Type

Methods of Reasoning Questions

Answer choices

  1. A
    concluding that it is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A matches the stem
    Correct. Argument or Facts:
    Argument

    Valid or Flawed:
    Valid

    Question Type:
    Methods of Reasoning

    Stimulus Summary:
    The contract will almost certainly go to either PC or CC. It won't go to CC, so it'll almost certainly go to PC.

    Answer Anticipation:
    The argument starts by establishing a list of two options that are "almost certainly" the only two options. It then rules one out before concluding that the other option will "almost certainly" be selected. That's as straightforward of an argument that works by ruling out an alternative as you can get!

    Answer Explanation:
    This answer describes an argument that reaches a conclusion by ruling out an alternative, and it even throws in the matching logical force ("almost certain" matching "extremely likely," and "probable" certainly is justified when something is "almost inevitable"), so this is our answer.

    Key Takeaway:
    Don't lose track of the logical force/quantifiers/certainty keywords in arguments! They're almost always going to be reflected in the key answer, as they're some of the most important words on the LSAT.
  2. B
    inferring, from a claim Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Incorrect. The argument claims that CC won't occur, and therefore PC almost certainly will. This answer both reverses that and ignores the less-than-certain nature of the language in the stimulus.
  3. C
    refuting a claim that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Incorrect. No opposing point claims that a certain event is inevitable. The language in the stimulus is less certain than that ("virtually certain"; "almost inevitable"), and the author relies on those statements being true—she doesn't refute them.
  4. D
    predicting a future event Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. While the author does predict a future event (the awarding of the contract to PC), she doesn't do so based on past trends in who has been awarded contracts. This would be correct in an argument that said something like, "All past contracts have been awarded to the lowest bidder, and PC is the lowest bidder, so they'll get the contract."
  5. E
    inferring a claim about Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. The premise isn't a general statistical statement—it's a statement about the inevitability of a certain set of outcomes.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A Credited 90%
  2. B 5%
  3. C 2%
  4. D 1%
  5. E 2%

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