Logical Reasoning

PT134 · S3 · Q19 The conventional process for tanning

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

The conventional process for tanning leather uses large amounts of calcium oxide and sodium sulfide.

Evidence

Tanning leather using biological catalysts costs about the same as using these conventional chemical if the cost of waste disposal is left out of the comparison.

However, nearly 20 percent less waste is produced with biological catalysts.

Waste disposal is a substantial part of the overall cost of tanning.

Conclusion

It is therefore less costly to tan leather if biological catalysts are used instead.

Evaluate

Since the cost of both processes is the same if the cost of waste disposal is left out of the comparison, it follows that for biological catalysts to be less costly than conventional chemicals the difference in cost must come from waste disposal. Biological catalysts produce 20 percent less waste than conventional chemicals. So long as the cost of waste disposal from each process is the same or the cost of waste disposal from conventional chemicals is more than from biological catalysts the argument is safe.

19.

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?

  1. Leather tanned using the conventional

    Out of Scope

    The quality of leather that is made using both processes is not relevant to the argument.

    1% picked this

  2. The biological catalysts that can

    Out of Scope

    The weight of both biological catalysts and conventional chemicals is not relevant to the argument.

    4% picked this

  3. New technological innovations have recently

    Out of Scope

    A recent change in the cost of biological catalysts is not relevant to the argument.

    1% picked this

  4. Correct

    Disposal of tanning waste produced

    Why this is right

    This provides a required relationship for tanning leather using biological catalysts to be less costly than using conventional chemicals.

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

    82% picked this

  5. The labor costs associated with

    Too Strong

    The cost of tanning leather other than waste disposal is the same for both processes. Whether the line items in each set are exactly the same is not important, since the sum of those line items in both processes is the same.

    11% 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