LSAT 114 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q4

LR Question 4 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: An anthropologist hypothesized that a certain medicinal powder…

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen

CONCLUSION: The anthropologist claims she did not commit fraud.

REASONING: The anthropologist claims that her experiment was tainted with acid and therefore wasn’t accurate.

ANALYSIS: The anthropologist hasn’t explained why acid should be a problem. The correct answer tells us that acid hides toxin T. So it is impossible to test for toxin T if acid is there. There’s no need to report results if a test is guaranteed to be ineffective.

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1. This doesn’t add anything to the claim that the anthropologist shouldn’t have reported her results. It doesn’t explain why the experiment wouldn’t work with acid.
2. So? The anthropologist didn’t claim storage time was to blame. Acid was the excuse.
3. CORRECT. This would explain why acid would invalidate the results. The presence of acid ruins the test by making it impossible to detect toxin T. 
4. This weakens the argument. The anthropologist could have simply tried another test.
5. This doesn’t explain what acid has to do with it.