LSAT 130 | Section 2 | Reading Comprehension: Q11

RC Question 11 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Which one of the following most accurately describes the function of the first two sentences of the second paragraph?

DISCUSSION: The first two sentences show that oil flow modeling requires many simultaneous calculations. This makes them amenable to being modeled by parallel computers rather than supercomputers.

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1. Nonsense. If this answer were true, it would mean that Emeagwali had said “Actually, oil flows aren’t that complex and don’t require simultaneous calculations.”
2. CORRECT. Indeed. Supercomputers can only do calculations one at a time. So they are not well suited to modeling oil flow, which requires simultaneous calculations.
3. It was the massively parallel computer that was designed according to the principles of tree branching. The first two sentences of paragraph 2 instead discuss the features of oil field flows.
4. This is a throwaway reference to the third paragraph. Lines 58-61 say that Emeagwali believes using naturally inspired systems will help us to understand those systems.
   That has nothing to do with the start of the second paragraph. Those sentences describe a natural system that Emeagwali modeled. The model he used was the tree branching model.
5. The paradigm shift is described in lines 58-61. It has nothing to do with the start of paragraph 2.
   In lines 58-61 Emeagwali was referring to using models like tree branches and honeycombs for inspiration. Those are his examples of a paradigm shift.