LSAT 153 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: A study tested the performance of 70 pilots, half of whom…

QUESTION TYPE: Explanation – Exception?

CONCLUSION: Dieting causes worse performance in pilots.

FACTS: Average impairment was approximately equal to consuming two alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach.

ANALYSIS: For this question, we are going to be looking for something that does not explain why pilots perform worse on diets. All this answer needs to do is avoid an explanation, so it will either be an explanation that doesn’t make sense or something totally unrelated to an explanation of this effect. Alternatively, we are also looking for 4 answers that give reasonable explanations for the worse performance as a result of dieting and simply using process of elimination.

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1. If pilots are worried and preoccupied about weight loss and calories, then we can reasonably expect dips in performance. This would be a reasonable explanation so it cannot be our answer.
2. The question tells us alcohol causes impairment, so greater vulnerability to alcohol and the act that pilots consumed alcohol before testing means that performance dips can be reasonably expected.
3. Irritability and fatigue are both good reasons for performance impairment.
4. CORRECT. The reasons why the pilots chose to go on a diet is completely irrelevant to the effects of the diet on their performance. Therefore, since this answer does not give an explanation, it is correct.
5. If glucose is vital to brain function and dieting reduces glucose levels, then we would expect dieting to impair brain function and thereby affect performance.

Recap: The question begins with “A study tested the performance of 70 pilots, half of whom”. It is a Explanation – Exception? question. Learn how to master LSAT Paradox questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.