Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT11 S4 Q12 Explanation

A survey of a group of people

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsMethod

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Stimulus

A survey of a group of people between the ages of 75 and 80 found that those who regularly played the card game bridge tended to have better short-term memory than those who did not play bridge. It was originally concluded from this that playing bridge can help older people to retain already have good short-term memory and who are thus more inclined to play.

What this question is testing

Method

Your task

Describe how the argument proceeds — the technique it uses to reach its conclusion.

Common trap

Answers that describe a method the argument doesn't actually use.

Winning move

Track the role each statement plays, then match that to the choice describing the same moves.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
12.

In countering the original conclusion the reasoning above uses which one of

Answer choices

  1. Trap2% picked this

    challenging the representativeness of the sample

  2. Trap1% picked this

    conceding the suggested relationship between playing bridge and short-term memory, but questioning whether any conclusion about appropriate

  3. Trap8% picked this

    arguing that the original conclusion relied on an inaccurate understanding of the motives that the people surveyed

  4. Correct82% picked this

    providing an alternative hypothesis to explain the data on which the original

    Why this is right

    Answer D is correct.

    Skill tested: Method · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  5. Trap7% picked this

    describing a flaw in the reasoning on which the original conclusion

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