LSAT 8 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q18

LR Question 18 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: In order to control the deer population, a biologist has…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: The treatment would be safe.

REASONING: Humans can safely consume up to 10 mg of the hormone daily. 10 mg is also the amount that will be injected into the deer. No one will consume an entire deer in a day.

ANALYSIS: If the hormone affects deer then presumably they already have some produced naturally in their bodies. Otherwise their bodies wouldn’t know what to do with it. This extra hormone might be enough to make deer meat consumption unsafe.

___________

1. This isn’t necessary. The biologist is assuming that deer will still be safe to eat even with the hormone.
2. This isn’t necessary. Whether or not the hormone is similar it still should be safe according to the biologist’s argument.
3. The biologist claims that deer meat will be safe even during breeding season. Therefore it shouldn’t matter when hunting season is.
4. CORRECT. If the hormone did occur naturally then maybe the injections would raise it to dangerous levels.
5. This would help show that people won’t eat enough deer meat to be harmed. But it isn’t a necessary assumption.

Recap: The question begins with “In order to control the deer population, a biologist has”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn more about LSAT Necessary questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.