Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT132 S2 Q18 Explanation

Vanessa: All computer code

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

TopicsMust be False

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Stimulus

Vanessa: All computer code must be written by a pair of programmers working at a single workstation. This is needed to prevent programmers from writing idiosyncratic only by the original programmer.

Jo: Most programming projects are kept afloat by the best programmers on the team, who are typically at least 100 times more productive than the worst. Since they generally work best when they work be allowed to work by themselves.

What this question is testing

Must be False

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

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

The question
18.

Each of the following assignments of computer programmers is consistent both with the principle expressed by Vanessa and with the principle

Answer choices

  1. Doesn't Contradict4% picked this

    Olga and Kensuke are both programmers of roughly average productivity who feel that they are more productive when working alone. They have been assigned

    This answer doesn't involve coding alone or putting a best-programmer on a team.

  2. Doesn't Contradict6% picked this

    John is experienced but is not among the most productive programmers on the team. He has been assigned to mentor Tyrone, a new programmer

    This answer doesn't involve coding alone or putting a best-programmer on a team.

  3. Doesn't Contradict3% picked this

    Although not among the most productive programmers on the team, Chris is more productive than Jennifer. They have been assigned to work

    This answer doesn't involve coding alone or putting a best-programmer on a team.

  4. Correct80% picked this

    Yolanda is the most productive programmer on the team. She has been assigned to work with Mike, who is also very productive. They are

    Why this is right

    This involves putting a best-programmer on a team. What are they thinking? Yolanda needs her space to do her thing.

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

  5. Doesn't Contradict7% picked this

    Kevin and Amy both have a reputation for writing idiosyncratic code; neither is unusually productive. They have been assigned to work

    This answer doesn't involve coding alone or putting a best-programmer on a team.

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