LR Question 6 Explanation
QUESTION TEXT: University administrator: Any proposal for a new…
QUESTION TYPE: Must Be True
FACTS:
- fewer than 50 for hire AND more than 25% duplicate ➞
funding - Contrapositive: Funding ➞
Fewer than 50 for hireORmore than 25% duplicate - Area studies duplicates more than 25%
- Area studies will get funding.
ANALYSIS: We know area studies will get funding. Look at the contrapositive diagram I drew above. We know at least one of the necessary conditions must be true as well.
We know that area studies does duplicate more than 25%. So that means it’s the other necessary condition that’s true: There must be more than 50 people available for hire (i.e. Fewer than 50 for hire)
Must be true questions are often very formulaic. You absolutely should figure this one out before you look at the answers.
___________
- CORRECT. See the explanation above.
- This is irrelevant. We already know that area studies duplicates more than 25% of the material in one department (anthropology). Since that condition is met, we’re not able to draw conclusions about possible duplication in other departments. There could be duplication, or there could not be.
- This is a nonsense answer. It strings together relevant words in a way that makes no sense.
We know that duplication is a factor that prevents funding. This answer is saying that duplication is necessary for funding. That’s ridiculous. - This is an incorrect reversal. Area studies could be a really, really big department. So it could duplicate 25% of anthropology, but perhaps anthropology only duplicates 10% of area studies.
- If this were true, then area studies couldn’t get funded. The stimulus says that having fewer than 50 people for hire is a factor in preventing funding. Reread the first sentence if you picked this.
Recap: The question begins with “University administrator: Any proposal”. It is a Must be True question. To practice more Must be True questions, have a look at the LSAT Questions by Type page.
More Resources for Must Be True Questions
- Conditional Reasoning Article: Learn about conditional statements on the LSAT.
- LR Diagrams Guide: Learn how to draw LR diagrams.
- Intro to Conditional Reasoning: This intro course lesson covers conditional reasoning basics.
- Intro Course lesson: This intro course lesson covers Must Be True questions.
- Mastery Seminar lesson: This LR Mastery seminar lesson covers must be true questions.
I’m confused how do I know this is a must be true? The question stem “follows logically” reads like a sufficient assumption question stem.. Thanks!
Sufficient assumption = “the conclusion follows logically IF which one of the following is true”
Must be true = “Which of the answers follows logically from the statement above”
Same words, different meaning based on surrounding sentence.
Choice B doesn’t contradict the stimulus. The answer choices states that some other class OTHER THAN Anthropology (which is the only specific class stated in the stimulus for because of which the condition applies “duplicate.. In ONE OF our existing classes…”).
Because the condition is activated by the Anthropology class, adding more classes which activate this condition has no effect. It is already active and in effect.
Thanks.
Oops, you’re right. I’ve edited choice B. Thanks for catching my mistake!