PT151 S3 Q2 ExplanationIn a study of honesty

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Correct97% picked this

   Did those who received an extra dollar count

   Why this is right

   If no one who received an extra dollar counted their money, we can't be sure that any of them knew that they received the extra money. And if they didn't know, there is no reason to believe that they were being dishonest. If most or all of these people did count their money, it's more likely that they knew about the extra dollar. This doesn't prove that they were being dishonest, but it challenges the alternative explanation that they simply didn't know about the extra dollar.

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

   97%
2. B

   Irrelevant Comparison0% picked this

   What percentage of the retail transactions studied were

   The evidence is about cash transactions that were studied. It doesn't mention any non-cash transactions. But even if this was all part of a larger study that included non-cash transactions, this argument focuses solely on the cash transactions. If a massively larger number of non-cash transactions were also studied, that has no impact on this argument. We only care about the cash transactions. If 100% of the transactions in the study were these cash transactions mentioned in the argument, that still has no impact on the evidence or how we might interpret the evidence.

   0%
3. C

   Irrelevant Distinction Irrelevant Comparison2% picked this

   Would the people who returned the extra dollar describe themselves

   The conclusion focuses on the people who did not return the extra dollar and does not rely on any comparison with the people who did return the extra dollar. It doesn't matter if people who returned the extra dollar describe themselves as honest or not. It can be easy to miss the fact that this answer is about people who did return the extra dollar. The LSAT might be trying to trick people who read this answer quickly.

   2%
4. D

   Irrelevant Distinction Irrelevant Comparison1% picked this

   Did the people who returned the extra dollar suspect that it was given

   It can be easy to miss the fact that this answer is about people who did return the extra dollar. The LSAT might be trying to trick people who read this answer quickly. The conclusion focuses on the people who did not return the extra dollar and does not rely on any comparison with the people who did return the extra dollar. If people who returned the extra dollar suspected that it was given to them intentionally, that doesn't impact the people who did not return the extra dollar. If people who returned the extra dollar had no clue that it was given to them intentionally, that still doesn't impact the people who did not return the extra dollar.

   1%
5. E

   Irrelevant Comparison0% picked this

   Does increasing the extra change to five dollars have an effect

   The argument's conclusion focuses on the people who were given an extra dollar and why they did not give that extra dollar back. It's strictly based on what happened when people were given that extra dollar. What happens when people are given a different amount of money is not relevant to this argument. It's also worth noting that this answer doesn't even indicate what "effect" or how much of an "effect" an extra five dollars might have on people's behavior. The answer to this question could be, "yes, it has an effect on their behavior. The effect is that they go spend an extra $5 on something at some point." That has no impact on the argument.

   0%