LR Question 7 Explanation
QUESTION TEXT: Computer security experts correctly maintain that …
QUESTION TYPE: Sufficient Assumption
CONCLUSION: The alternative security options will not replace passwords anytime soon.
REASONING: Computer security experts maintain that passwords are less secure than alternate methods like fingerprint scanners. However, the alternative methods are more expensive and will only replace passwords if they become standard on the majority of the world’s computers.
ANALYSIS: The author has told us that alternate methods won’t replace passwords. They also give us criteria for when an alternate security method has replaced passwords: it has to be standard on most of the world’s computers. So clearly the author thinks that alternative methods won’t become standard on most computers.
However, we don’t have anything to show that. We know that they’re expensive, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be standard. The correct answer will bridge this gap and tell us that expensive methods can’t become standard worldwide.
___________
- This doesn’t lead to the conclusion. This just tells us passwords could be improved.
- This doesn’t lead to the conclusion, and is plain silly. Why would something being more expensive mean that it is definitively worse than passwords? Even if it’s true, that doesn’t mean it can’t become standard.
- It doesn’t matter what most experts believe. Experts can be wrong.
- CORRECT. This is exactly what we rephrased above.
- This tells us that passwords will be replaced when a cheap alternative emerges, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be replaced sooner.
Recap: The question begins with “Computer security experts correctly maintain that “. It is a Sufficient Assumption question. Learn how to master LSAT Sufficient questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.
More Resources for Sufficient Assumption Questions
- Conditional Reasoning Article: Learn about conditional statements.
- LR Diagrams Guide: Learn how to draw LR diagrams.
- Intro to Conditional Reasoning: Learn conditional reasoning basics.
- Intro Course lesson: This intro course lesson covers Sufficient Assumption questions.
- Mastery Seminar lesson: This LR Mastery seminar lesson covers sufficient assumption questions.
I think you misunderstood B. It’s saying options that are cheaper than (or I guess possibly technically same price as) passwords must be less secure than passwords.
This is kind of implied by the premise. We’re told there are more secure methods than passwords, but they’re all more expensive. As a result B doesn’t plug any gap in the argument.
The real gap (expensive so won’t become standard) is closed by D like you explained.