Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT126 S3 Q8 Explanation

Department store manager: There

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

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Department store manager: There is absolutely no reason to offer our customers free gift wrapping again this holiday season. If most customers take the offer, it will be expensive and time-consuming for us. On the other hand, there is no advantage in offering it.

What this question is testing

Necessary Assumption

Your task

Find the assumption the argument requires in order for its conclusion to hold.

Common trap

Answers that would help the argument but aren't strictly required (sufficient, not necessary).

Winning move

Negate each choice — the right one breaks the argument when negated.

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

The question
8.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the department

Answer choices

  1. Too Strong5% picked this

    Gift wrapping would cost the store more during this holiday season than in

    In the extreme case that only a few customers want gift wrapping, the cost could be lower and the argument would not be undermined.

  2. Out of Scope3% picked this

    Anything that slows down shoppers during the holiday season costs the

    The argument does not suggest that gift wrapping slows down customers.

  3. Out of Scope6% picked this

    It would be to the store's advantage to charge customers for

    The issue is not whether to offer gift wrapping service, but rather whether to offer free gift wrapping service. Charging customers for gift wrapping is not relevant to the argument.

  4. Too Specific4% picked this

    It would be expensive to inform customers about the free gift

    Even if the cost to inform customers of the service is minimal, providing the service could still be expensive and time-consuming.

  5. Correct82% picked this

    Either few customers would want free gift wrapping or most customers

    Why this is right

    This defends the argument from the possibility that a number of customers that take the offer is somewhere between the two extreme cases presented.

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

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