LSAT 108 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Mall manager: By congregating in large groups …

QUESTION TYPE: Method of Reasoning

ARGUMENTS: The mall manager concludes that merchants should do everything they can to discourage teenagers from gathering near stores.

Their reasoning is that it makes adults uncomfortable so they’re spending less time shopping. The mall’s goal is to avoid a significant loss in sales.

The merchant argues that teenagers make up a significant % of the money spent in those stores.

ANALYSIS: The merchant doesn’t dispute any of the manager’s facts. Instead, he introduces a new fact about sales: Teenagers themselves spend a lot of money.

Why does this matter? Because the manager’s recommendation is supposed to achieve the mall’s goal: prevent a significant loss in overall sales.

But if discouraging teenagers drives away customers who spend a lot of money (the teenagers themselves), the recommendation might actually hurt the goal.

___________

1. The merchant doesn’t dispute any of the manager’s supporting claims. He never says adults aren’t uncomfortable or adults aren’t shopping less.
2. CORRECT. The merchant provides information that bears directly on whether the recommendation will actually help achieve the mall’s goal. Maybe discouraging teenagers will reduce sales rather than protect them.
3. The merchant never says the goal itself is bad. Everyone seems to agree that avoiding a loss in sales is desirable.
4. The merchant isn’t agreeing with the recommendation at all. If anything, he’s suggesting there may be a reason not to discourage the teenagers.
5. The merchant doesn’t make an additional recommendation. He simply introduces new information that calls the manager’s recommendation into question.