LSAT 152 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: An antitheft device involving an electronic homing beacon …

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox

PARADOX: The device doesn’t deter theft since it’s undetectable. However, in cities where only a few drivers have installed it, car thefts have dropped a lot.

ANALYSIS: If the device is undetectable, and only a few cars have it, why would it have such a huge effect overall?

Well, we know it has a big advantage: it has very good odds at catching thieves. Maybe catching thieves could reduce theft generally.

We know it’s a small number of cases. So what if the same thieves commit a lot of the thefts. Then even catching a few of those thieves would cause theft rates overall to plummet. That explains the dramatic effect from limited use.

___________

1. If thieves are less cautious, that might make them easier to catch, but it does not explain why a small percentage of devices leads to a citywide drop in thefts.
2. This is about theft levels before the device was used. It does not explain the dramatic drop.
3. This makes the beacon sound useful, but it still does not explain why limited use has such broad impact.
4. Where victims live has nothing to do with why theft rates fall.
5. CORRECT. If most car thefts are committed by a few highly experienced thieves, then catching even some of them can have a huge effect on total theft rates. That explains the dramatic drop.