LSAT 131 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q8

LR Question 8 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The more modern archaeologists learn about Mayan civilization

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The Mayan people had a strong knowledge of sophisticated math.

REASONING: Mayan religious scribes had a strong knowledge of sophisticated math.

ANALYSIS: This argument inappropriately switches between Mayan scribes and the Mayan people as a whole. Scribes are often more educated than the general population.

___________

1. We don’t need to define intellectual achievement – it’s clear from the dictionary. Also, the core of the argument was about math specifically.
2. CORRECT. Indeed. Scribes are generally more educated than a population is.
3. This isn’t a flaw! The argument is just about what was true of the Mayans. There’s no need to compare them to all past civilizations.
4. This didn’t happen.
   Example of flaw: John has lots of scientific knowledge. I know this because he has a scientific approach to his work.
   (The first means “the body of work of science”. The second can mean “systematic, methodical”.)
5. This didn’t happen.
   Example of flaw: Mayans made predictions around the same time their civilization ended. So Mayan predictions caused the end of their civilization.