LSAT 154 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q8

LR Question 8 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Statistics teachers often debate whether to teach…

QUESTION TYPE: Complete the Argument

CONCLUSION: Most ordinary statistics users do not need to know how to build a statistical method in order to use one. [predicted conclusion]

REASONING: Statistics is like driving. You can learn to build statistical methods and you can learn to build cars. This is different from using statistical methods and from driving cars. Most cars drivers don’t need to know how to build cars.

ANALYSIS: This argument presents an analogy. Basically both cars and statistics have a complicated building process, and a simpler using process. Most people only need to know how to use the thing.

So the author uses drives to conclude that most people only need to know how to use statistics, not build statistical models.

___________

1. This is a total non-sequitur. And why does this assumption make sense: professors should assume their students act randomly?
2. This came out of nowhere. The author didn’t even mention mathematics as a discipline.
3. This is a trap. The author would agree with this, but it isn’t where the conclusion was going. Instead, the author was going to continue their car analogy: drivers don’t need to know how to build a car to drive, and stats users don’t need to know how to build a model to use one.
   It’s no accident this answer was C and the correct answer came later. It always pays off to read through all the answers before picking one for sure.
4. CORRECT. See the discussion of the analogy above. Just as people don’t need to build a car to drive one, they also don’t need to know how to build a model (i.e. understand the theory) in order to use a model (i.e. solve real problems).
5. This makes no sense. The author was arguing that stats teachers should understand that most students don’t need to know how to build stats methods.
   Also, this is a very strange statement. What other profession doesn’t have to understand the needs of those they serve?

Recap: The question begins with “Statistics teachers often debate whether to teach”. It is a Complete the Argument question. Learn more about LSAT Complete the Argument questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.