LSAT 101 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q5

LR Question 5 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Altogether, the students in Ms. Tarnowski’s Milton Elementary…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Parallel Reasoning

CONCLUSION: The student who collected the most aluminum cans was in Ms. Tarnowski’s class.

REASONING: Ms. Tarnowski’s class had the highest average amount of cans collected per student.

ANALYSIS: Luxembourg is on average richer than the United States. But the richest man in the world lives in the USA.

You can be on average higher, without having the highest.

___________

1. This is a good argument. If Mr. Kelly’s kids planted more trees than two classes combined, then they must have planted more trees than either class separately.
2. This is a bad argument, but the flaw is different. The argument ignores the possibility that many kids both play in the band and sing in the choir. Then there could also be some kids in neither group.
3. This is a bad argument, but a different flaw. We don’t know how much raffle tickets and candy bars cost. If raffle tickets cost 5 cents, Ms. Hunt’s class might have sold more individual items but raised less money.
4. CORRECT. This repeats the error exactly. Just because a group is on average higher, doesn’t mean the highest seller is part of that group. Some wunderkind in another class might have sold more tickets.
5. This is a good argument. They had more birdhouses divided by fewer students, so they must have had the highest average.

Recap: The question begins with “Altogether, the students in Ms Tarnowski’s Milton Elementary”. It is a Flawed Parallel Reasoning question. Learn how to master LSAT Flawed Parallel questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.