LSAT 8 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The dean of computing must be respected by the academic…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: The dean of computing must be a professor from this university’s computer science department.

REASONING: The dean must have a doctoral degree (so that the staff will respect them.) The dean must really know about computers (so that they can competently oversee the use of computers.) Lastly the Dean must be from the university’s staff.

ANALYSIS: The argument is assuming that only computer science professors really understand computers.

Answers B-D ignore the fact that only some professors have to meet the requirements. We only need one dean. The argument is assuming that all people who meet the requirements are in the computer science department. It is not assuming that everyone in that department does meet the requirements.

___________

1. Academics only respect deans who have doctoral degrees. They might respect other people even if they don’t have doctorates.
2. This isn’t necessary as long as some professors do have doctoral degrees.
3. This isn’t necessary as long as some computer science professors really understand computers.
4. This isn’t necessary as long as some professors are respected. We only need one professor who meets all the requirements.
5. CORRECT. Yes. If a physics professor really understood computers then maybe the dean would come from that department instead of computer science.

Recap: The question begins with “The dean of computing must be respected by the academic”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn how to master LSAT Necessary questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.