LSAT 104 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q22

LR Question 22 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Some people believe that saying that an organization…

QUESTION TYPE: Must be True

FACTS:

1. Some people think that all hierarchical organizations are the same.
2. All bureaucratic organizations are hierarchical.
3. The public works department is bureaucratic (and therefore hierarchical).
4. But the public works department is different from most other bureaucratic organizations.

ANALYSIS: We know that the people who believe fact number one are wrong.

Not all hierarchies work the same way, because the hierarchical public works department works differently from other hierarchical bureaucracies.

___________

1. Who knows? We don’t know how the public works department functions, and we don’t know how non-bureaucratic organizations work. Maybe the public works department is a unique type of organization.
2. This just incorrectly reverses a premise. All bureaucratic organizations are hierarchical, but the reverse doesn’t have to be true. The army is hierarchical, but (at least in the field) non-bureaucratic.
3. This goes too far. We can conclude, for example, that an organization has a hierarchy, if it is hierarchical.
4. CORRECT. All bureaucratic organizations are hierarchical. But the bureaucratic public works department works differently.
5. This is way too extreme. We know the public works department is different, but it may have some thing in common with other bureaucracies. Maybe all bureaucracies have some things in common.

Recap: The question begins with “Some people believe that saying that an organization”. It is a Must be True question. Learn more about LSAT MBT questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.