LR Question 5 Explanation
QUESTION TEXT: Shipping Coordinator: If we send your shipment by air express…
QUESTION TYPE: Misinterpretation
STATEMENTS:
- Shipping coordinator says ground is cheaper but potentially slower than air. Air has 1 day arrival while ground has 1-2 day arrival.
- Customer responds that they have no choice but to spend the money on air express since that’s the only way to get it tomorrow.
ANALYSIS: The customer mistakenly believes only air can ship the package there in one day. Oops. (Only air can guarantee that it will get there the next day, but that’s different).
Since the customer wants her package to arrive in one day, she buys air shipping.
___________
- If so, she would buy ground shipping instead of air.
- She correctly understood this, which is why she is buying air shipping.
- She clearly understood that air is more expensive.
- CORRECT. Bingo, she ignored the possibility that ground might also arrive tomorrow.
- She did not mention shipping speed. Her misinterpretation is about arrival time. (She said, “If I don’t choose air…it will not arrive tomorrow”). D paraphrases that statement. (Tempting)
Recap: The question begins with “Shipping Coordinator: If we send your shipment by air express”. It is a Misinterpretation question. Learn how to master LSAT Misinterpretation questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.
Note: This question is easy if you know exactly what she is saying. Double-check the stimulus to clear up any doubts before choosing your answer.
Also note that “misinterpretation” is an extremely rare question type.
What are we looking for exactly in this question ? Why isn’t B correct if that’s what she wanted to begin with ?
You’re not asked what the customer wants. The question is asking what mistake the customer is making in the way they think.
The coordinator gives them two options:
1. Send it by air express. It will definitely arrive tomorrow. It’s more expensive.
2. Send it by ground. It could arrive tomorrow or it could arrive the next day. It’s less expensive.
The customer then says her only option to receive the shipment tomorrow is by air. But that’s wrong. It could arrive tomorrow with ground carrier, it’s just not GUARANTEED to arrive tomorrow.
That’s why D is the mistake she’s making. She thinks if it’s not sent by air (i.e. sent by ground), it will not arrive tomorrow. But it could still arrive tomorrow by ground.
B just restates that air express guarantees that it arrives tomorrow. That’s stated by the coordinator and the customer correctly understands that. So B isn’t a mistaken assumption the customer is making.