LSAT 4 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q3

LR Question 3 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Oil analysts predict that if the price of oil falls by half…

QUESTION TYPE: Weaken

CONCLUSION: Oil analysts predict that if the price of oil falls by half, the price of gas will fall by half as well.

ANALYSIS: There is no reasoning given. The analysts are making an unstated assumption that the price of gas is only determined by the price of oil. They don’t see to think there are any other costs involved in the price of gasoline (which is silly.)

If we find some other costs, we can weaken this conclusion.

___________

1. So? We care about how much gasoline costs and not how much it is used.
2. This would strengthen the analysts. It eliminates one way gas prices could have stayed high.
3. This shows there is good reason to think that gas prices will fall if oil prices fall: it is a competitive market.
4. We would expect this behavior. Even if customers bought more gas that wouldn’t prevent the price of gas from being cut in half.
5. CORRECT. This shows that the cost of gasoline is affected by many other things other than oil. We can’t expect the price of oil to wholly determine how much gas falls.

Recap: The question begins with “Oil analysts predict that if the price of oil falls by half”. It is a Weaken question. Learn how to master LSAT Weaken questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.