LSAT 104 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q10

LR Question 10 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Unplugging a peripheral component such as a “mouse”…

QUESTION TYPE: Flawed Reasoning

CONCLUSION: Fred’s mouse is unplugged.

REASONING: If you unplug a mouse, then any software that needs the mouse will stop working.

Some of Fred’s software that needs a mouse has stopped working.

ANALYSIS: This confuses necessary and sufficient.

Unplugging the mouse is sufficient to make a program stop working.

But if a program stops working, it might not necessarily be because the mouse is unplugged. There are many things that cause software to stop working.

Yes, this LSAT question dates from a time when not everyone knew what a “mouse” was.

___________

1. The argument never says whether “unusable” is permanent or temporary.
2. CORRECT. There could be other reasons software stops working. Unplugging the mouse is a possible cause, but not the only cause.
3. Unplugging a mouse causes software to stop working. So the premise is related to the conclusion.
4. Too broad is rarely a problem. Many true statements are broad. e.g. “All dogs have tails”, “all mouse-related software stops working when you unplug the mouse”
5. The argument only says that unplugging the mouse will make the programs that require the mouse unusable. Some other programs might still work.

Recap: The question begins with “Unplugging a peripheral component such as a “mouse””. It is a Flawed Reasoning question. Learn more about LSAT Flaw questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.