LSAT 155 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q8

LR Question 8 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: A person who does not have both a high school diploma and…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Parallel Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Marie will be licensed.

REASONING: Someone will not be licensed if they do not have a diploma and a demonstrated competence. Marie has both.

ANALYSIS: The author’s mistake here is the classic LSAT sufficient-necessary mix-up. We know that these conditions are necessary for licensing, but they may not be sufficient on their own.

The correct answer will make the same mistake in the same way. This means there will be two conditions necessary for an outcome that the argument mistakes for being sufficient to produce the outcome.

___________

1. This argument does not make the same mistake. It infers that because the outcome has occurred, the necessary conditions must be met.
2. CORRECT. This argument assumes that, because Professor Yessios meets the two necessary conditions, she will be an effective foreign language teacher. This is the same mistake as in the stimulus.
3. See A – this argument is inferring that because the outcome occurred, the condition was met.
4. See A – this is not the same mistake.
5. See A – this is not the same mistake.

Recap: The question begins with “A person who does not have both a high school diploma and”. It is a Flawed Parallel Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flawed Parallel questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.