LSAT 155 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q6

LR Question 6 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Saturn’s moon Enceladus has a rocky core and an icy surface…

QUESTION TYPE: Identify the Conclusion

CONCLUSION: There must be a lake of liquid water between the rocky core and icy surface.

REASONING: A space probe measured the density of matter in Enceladus, and it showed something denser than ice between the two layers. That can only be liquid water.

ANALYSIS: When a question asks you to identify the conclusion, you need to look at the whole stimulus. One part of the stimulus will stand by itself as the main point, and the rest will be in service to that point.

Here, the stimulus tells us about the two layers. This is just a foundational fact for the argument. Next, it says “there must be a lake of liquid water”. Note that it says “there must be”, not “there is”. This means it’s an inference, so it’s probably either the conclusion or an intermediate conclusion.

Then we hear about the space probe that measured the density. This is again a fact and not a conclusion. Finally, we learn that the measurements show something that can only be liquid water. This is a premise that leads to the above conclusion: there is liquid water between the layers.

___________

1. This is a fact that serves as part of the foundation for the conclusion. No other parts of the argument serve as evidence for this.
2. CORRECT. See above – this must be the conclusion.
3. This is a fact, not the conclusion of an argument.
4. This is a premise. It supports the conclusion, which is that the “something deeper” is water.
5. Same as D – this is a premise that supports the conclusion that there is water.

Recap: The question begins with “Saturn’s moon Enceladus has a rocky core and an icy surface”. It is a Identify The Conclusion question. Learn more about LSAT Identify questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.