LSAT 142 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q7

LR Question 7 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: A landlord needed to replace the air-conditioning…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle

CONCLUSION: The landlord should buy the FreezAll instead of the  Sno-Queen.

REASONING: Both machines are the same price. Both meet the landlord’s needs. The FreezAll is less powerful.

ANALYSIS: The two machines are identical, except that the FreezAll is less powerful while still meeting the landlord’s needs.

Clearly, the principle is that consumers should choose the less powerful machine that still works for them. There may be good reasons for doing this. Perhaps more powerful machines are more likely to break down or require more expensive maintenance.

___________

1. This is ridiculous. If an answer is an insane statement that no one in real life would agree with, it won’t be the right answer.
   For instance, imagine a chocolate bar that contains traces of nuts compared to an identically priced bar that doesn’t. This principle says that either product will meet the needs of someone with a nut allergy, because the prices are the same.
2. This contradicts what the saleswoman said! Both units are the same price, yet the saleswoman recommends the less powerful product.
3. This principle has no effect. Both products are the same price, so we can’t say which has better value.
4. This is an unethical principle, and highly unlikely to be the right answer. But more to the point, the stimulus didn’t mention commissions or whether the commission between the two items is different.
5. CORRECT. This matches. The only difference between the two products is that the FreezAll is less powerful, so that’s the only reason the saleswoman has for recommending it.
   You might be thinking “less power, why would I want that?”. Well, maybe more powerful units break down faster and require more specialized maintenance.