Logical Reasoning

PT121 · S1 · Q14 Among a sample of diverse

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

Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one
Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step
81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

Among a sample of diverse coins from an unfamiliar country, each face of any coin portrays one of four things: a judge’s head, an explorer’s head, a building, or a tree.

Statements

Each side of the coin has one of these four options: 1. judge's head 2. explorer's head 3. building 4. tree

conditionals (none, all)

Head on one side → building or tree (other)

Judge on one side → tree (other)

Evaluate

With this set of facts, we could potentially react to the two conditionals (none, all) and see if we can chain them together, but they don't quite have any obvious overlapping terms.

We could otherwise just think about what possible coin combinations there are, since there aren't that many. Like most currency, you don't have heads on each side (although they didn't rule out the possibility of "Tails" on both sides).

Given these four options: J, E, B, T We know that you can't have JJ, EE, or JE (because that would be two heads on the same coin).

So what can we have? JB, JT EB, ET BT

What about the second conditional? If there's a J on one side, there's a T on the other. So it turns out JB is not possible.

Goal

We know the four possible coins look like this: JT, EB, ET, BT

Let's find something that must be true, given those possibilities.

14.

If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true of the coins in the sample?

All those with an explorer’s
Could Be False
These were the four options: JT, EB, ET, BT Do all the E's have a B on the other side? No, it's possible to have an explorer's head on one side and a tree on the other.
5% picked this
All those with a tree
Could Be False / Illegal Reversal
These were the four options: JT, EB, ET, BT Do all the T's have an H on the other side? No, it's possible to have a tree one side and a judge, explorer, or building on the other. This answer represents an illegal reversal of the last claim of the stimulus. Last claim: judge's head → tree This answer: tree → judge's head
15% picked this
None of those with a
Could Be False / Illegal Reversal
These were the four options: JT, EB, ET, BT This answer is saying that there would never be an ET (tree + explorer), but that was one of our options. If we're tempted by this answer, we're probably thinking about the final claim with an Illegal Reversal mindset, just like (B). The final claim said, "If there's a judge, there's a tree" but that doesn't mean "if there's a tree, there's a judge". It's possible that there's a tree and a building. It's possible that there's a tree and an explorer.
6% picked this
Correct
None of those with a
Why this is right
These were the four options: JT, EB, ET, BT This is saying we never get a JB, and that is correct. This answer could be diagrammed like this: Building → not Judge Judge → not Building We know that's true because the final claim says: Judge → Tree (and trees are not buildings)
Skill tested: Must be True · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
72% picked this
None of those with an
Could Be False / Illegal Reversal
These were the four options: JT, EB, ET, BT This answer is saying that there would never be an EB (explorer + building), but that was one of our options.
1% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill

LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free