Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT141 S2 Q1 Explanation

Editorial: The city has chosen a contractor

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

TopicsNecessary Assumption

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Stimulus

Editorial: The city has chosen a contractor to upgrade the heating systems in public buildings. Only 40 percent of the technicians employed by this contractor are certified by the Heating Technicians Association. So the city selected technicians are unqualified, which is an outrage.

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
1.

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

Answer choices

  1. Trap1% picked this

    Certified technicians receive higher pay than

  2. Trap4% picked this

    There are no contractors with fewer than 40 percent of their

  3. Correct93% picked this

    Technicians who lack certification are not

    Why this is right

    Answer C is correct.

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

  4. Trap1% picked this

    Qualified technicians installed the heating systems to

  5. Trap1% picked this

    The contractor hired by the city has personal ties to

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