Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT142 S2 Q9 Explanation

Musicologist: Classification of a musical instrument

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

TopicsMain Conclusion

Keep going in LSAT Lab

  • 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

Free to start

Full official LSAT questions are available through LawHub. This page provides LSAT Lab's explanation, strategy, and review tools without republishing the full official question.

Stimulus

Musicologist: Classification of a musical instrument depends on the mechanical action through which it produces music. So the piano is properly called a percussion instrument, not a stringed instrument. Even though the vibration of the piano's strings is what to vibrate by the impact of hammers.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

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
9.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of

Answer choices

  1. Evidence21% picked this

    Musical instruments should be classified according to the mechanical actions through which

    This is evidence that supports the musicologist’s conclusion.

  2. Inference0% picked this

    Musical instruments should not be classified based on the way musicians

    This follows from the musicologist’s evidence but is not stated.

  3. Out of Scope0% picked this

    Some people classify the piano as a stringed instrument because of the way the

    The musicologist does not indicate whether some people classify the piano as a stringed instrument.

  4. Contradiction3% picked this

    The piano should be classified as a stringed instrument rather than as

    This contradicts the musicologist’s conclusion.

  5. Correct75% picked this

    It is correct to classify the piano as a percussion instrument rather than as

    Why this is right

    This best paraphrases the musicologist’s conclusion.

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

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