LSAT 8 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q20

LR Question 20 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Everyone at last week’s neighborhood association…

QUESTION TYPE: Principle

CONCLUSION: Demolishing the houses was correct.

REASONING: Everyone agreed the houses posed a safety threat. Demolishing the houses removed that threat. It doesn’t matter that there was an alternate proposal that involved using public money to rehabilitate the houses.

ANALYSIS: We’re trying to prove either Saunders or his opponents conclusively correct. Some of the wrong answer choices say when not to adopt a proposal. The right answer choice will say when to adopt a proposal (one of the two on offer.)

___________

1. This doesn’t tell us what to do if the buildings are considered a threat to safety. These buildings were considered a safety threat.
2. CORRECT. This is incredibly dense, but correct. Demolishing the houses precludes (prevents) the possibility of trying the rehabilitation option…the houses are destroyed! But if rehabilitation doesn’t work we can still try destroying the houses. Only one option (destruction) prevents us trying the other option (rehabilitation.) Therefore we should try rehabilitation first.
3. The necessary funds already were secured. This answer choice doesn’t tell us what to do in that case.
4. This might show that demolition wasn’t correct. But it doesn’t show that rehabilitation would have been correct instead.
5. This tells us when not to adopt a proposal. We need something that tells us to adopt a proposal.

Recap: The question begins with “Everyone at last week’s neighborhood association”. It is a Principle question. Learn more about LSAT Principle questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.