PrepTest 105

[lcid:3517] Prep Test 105 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S2 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Manager: Our new computer Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

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

Strengthen with Necessary Premise Questions

Stimulus Summary

Goal 1 - Increase productivity Approach - Install new computer network Option 1 - Install during the day Option 1 downside - Disrupts work Option 2 - Install at night Option 2 downside - It costs more Goal 2 - Save money Therefore - Go with Option 1 (install during the day)

Answer Anticipation

The argument here concludes a recommendation - install a new network at night. Whenever an argument makes a recommendation, it needs to establish the criteria by which such a recommendation could be made, and then show that the option in question would best meet that criteria. Here, we actually have two goals - save money, and increase productivity. There’s no indication which one is more important, but they’re both relevant in figuring out what to do here. The installation of the new network is meant to increase productivity, so it seems secondary to making this decision (since a single day of disrupting work pales in comparison to any productivity gains over time). So we should focus on saving money. And there, the disruption to work is relevant. While installing at night might cost more, there is a cost to disrupting productivity. That cost might be higher than the additional installation costs. In failing to establish that the installation costs are higher than the costs of the disruption, the Manager fails to establish that she’s reaching the goal of saving money with her recommendation. Let’s find an answer that establishes installing the new network during the day will save money, and that the installation costs are higher than the disruption costs.

Answer choices

  1. A
    The monetary value of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    The monetary value of the network equipment will be paid and the same no matter when it’s installed, so this answer doesn’t affect the argument.
  2. B
    The monetary value of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    This answer balances the two options on the given criteria and shows that the recommended option does best meet that criteria. If the monetary value of lost productivity is greater than the extra installation costs at night, then installing during the day wouldn’t save money. This answer is therefore a necessary premise.
  3. C
    A daytime installation would Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    No matter the crew and time required, the installation costs are already established as being higher at night than during the day, so this answer doesn’t change the math.
  4. D
    Once the network has Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    How long before the benefits are seen doesn’t determine which of two options to install the new network will save the most money - after all, this would be true for either option.
  5. E
    Most of the company's Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer does suggest that the disruption costs won’t be as high as they could be, but it’s not necessary for this to be true for the argument to work. After all, as long as the disruption costs are lower than the difference in install costs, it doesn’t matter what percentage of workers are disrupted.

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