PrepTest 112

[lcid:3544] Prep Test 112 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S1 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Raisins are made by 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

Facts

Valid or Flawed

NA

Question Type

Paradox Questions

Stimulus Summary

Raisins vs. grapes:
Raisins are dried grapes Raisins have some caramelized sugar Raisins only remove water (no calories) Raisins have nothing added
Puzzling fact - Raisins have more iron per calorie than grapes

Answer Anticipation

It’s always nice when the Paradox question explicitly calls out what’s weird in the situation! Here, it’s the fact that raisins have more iron per calorie than grapes, despite the fact that nothing’s added to grapes to make them raisins, and nothing but water is removed, which has no calories. How can the iron content be higher if nothing relevant is added or removed?
Well, there’s one other change noted in the stimulus - some of the sugar in grapes is caramelized when they’re dried into grapes. That caramelization must have some impact on the calories in the raisin compared to the grape. And in order to explain how raisins have a higher ratio of iron to calories, since we know that the iron content is the same (nothing is added/removed except water), the calorie content of a raisin would need to be lower. Let’s find an answer explaining how the caramelization process leads to fewer calories.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Since grapes are bigger Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    What matters is the iron per calorie, not the volume of the individual grapes/raisins consumed.
  2. B
    Caramelized sugar cannot be Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    This answer ties the caramelization of sugar into the calorie content of the raisins. If the caramelized sugar doesn’t count towards the calorie content, then the calorie content of raisins is lower than the grapes with non-caramelized sugar, and the iron to calorie would thus be higher for raisins. This answer resolves the paradox and is thus correct.
  3. C
    The body can absorb Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    The absorption of iron (and other nutrients) is out of scope, as what matters is the ratio of iron to calories, not how easily the body is able to use the iron.
  4. D
    Raisins, but not grapes, Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    How available each is doesn’t affect the iron-to-calorie ratio. While this answer might explain why more people get iron from raisins, it doesn’t explain the different iron content per calorie.
  5. E
    Raisins are often eaten Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The puzzling fact is that raisins have more iron per calorie than grapes, not that those who eat raisins get more iron overall while eating raisins than those who eat grapes.

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