LSAT 155 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q22

LR Question 22 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Merle: Usually when I insert a dollar bill into the change…

QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The electric outlet must usually be turned on.

REASONING: Usually, when Merle puts a bill into the machine, it makes a squeaking sound. It can only make that sound when the outlet is turned on.

ANALYSIS: Merle is making a conclusion about whether the outlet is generally on. However, Merle’s only working with their own evidence. Say Merle puts a bill in the machine every day at lunchtime. That tells us that the outlet is usually on at lunchtime, but we don’t know anything about the other times. Merle has taken a small sample and made a general conclusion, which the correct answer will also do.

___________

1. This answer is making a conclusion about people who read the novel. The original argument made a general conclusion, so we want an answer that incorrectly concludes something about the general population.
2. This doesn’t match the flaw, and is actually not flawed at all! It says “some people found it disturbing, which they would only do if they have vivid imaginations”. This does mean that some people have vivid imaginations.
3. This, like A, is making a conclusion about the people who read the book. The original argument incorrectly extrapolated a sample to make a general conclusion.
4. CORRECT. This is the same flaw. Most people who have read the book found it disturbing, meaning that they have vivid imaginations. But we can’t say that most people in general have vivid imaginations. Maybe people with vivid imaginations are drawn to the book.
5. This isn’t the same. We want a conclusion incorrectly drawn about the population in general, just like Merle made a general conclusion about whether the machine is plugged in all the time.

Recap: The question begins with “Merle: Usually when I insert a dollar bill into the change”. It is a Flawed Parallel Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flawed Parallel questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.