LSAT 114 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Recent research indicates that increased consumption of fruits…

QUESTION TYPE: Most Strongly Supported

FACTS:

1. Eating fruits and vegetables is correlated with lower stroke risk for the middle aged.
2. Fruits and vegetables are rich in folic acid.
3. Low levels of folic acid are correlated with lots of homocysteine, which can block arteries.

ANALYSIS: There isn’t much evidence here to say that lack of fruit causes strokes. But it is associated with fewer strokes.

This is a crucial difference – we don’t know very much. We’re not even told if homocysteine causes blocked arteries. It’s just associated with blocked arteries. Some other agent could be the one responsible.

Further, we don’t know what the relationship is between blocked arteries and stroke. (Really – the stimulus doesn’t say)

We can say there is a correlation between lower risk of stroke and more folic acid. This is because fruit is correlated with a lower risk of stroke and more folic acid.

This correlation is only true in the case of fruit, but we have at least some support for that statement.

___________

1. The other way around. More homocysteine is correlated with more strokes.
2. CORRECT. More fruit leads to both more folic acid and less risk of stroke. Since folic acid and low stroke risk occur together, they are correlated. 
3. Same as A, this gets things backwards. More homocysteine is correlated with more strokes.
4. This is also backwards. More folic acids is correlated with fewer blocked arteries.
5. We have no idea if folic acid can prevent strokes. We only know that folic acid is associated with a lower risk. It could be a total coincidence.