LSAT Explanation PT 19, S2, Q18: In the past decade, a decreasing

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if assumed, allows the conclusion above to be properly drawn? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Sufficient Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first summarize and analyze the argument in the passage. The passage presents the following information:

Premise: In the past decade, a decreasing percentage of money spent on treating disease X went to pay for standard methods of treatment (effective, expensive, and painful).

Premise: An increasing percentage is being spent on nonstandard treatments (less discomfort, ineffective).

Conclusion: Less money is being spent now on effective treatments of disease X than was spent ten years ago.

Notice that the conclusion is about the actual amount of money spent on effective treatments, while the premises only discuss the percentage of the money spent on different treatments. Therefore, we need additional information to justify the conclusion.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Has the total amount of money spent on treating disease X changed in the past decade?"

Now let's discuss the answer choices, keeping in mind that this is a Sufficient Assumption question, which means we're looking for an assumption that, if true, would allow the conclusion to be properly drawn.

a) This answer choice talks about the varieties of disease X requiring expensive special treatment becoming less common. However, it doesn't provide any information about the total amount of money spent on treating disease X or the effective treatments. Therefore, it doesn't help justify the conclusion.

b) This answer choice discusses the cost of nonstandard methods of treating disease X. Although it tells us that nonstandard treatments are more expensive now than a decade ago, it doesn't give us any information about the total amount of money spent on treating disease X or the effective treatments. Thus, it doesn't help justify the conclusion.

c) This answer choice tells us that the percentage of total medical expenditures due to treatment of disease X increased during the past decade. However, it doesn't provide information about the total amount of money spent on treating disease X or the effective treatments. Therefore, it doesn't help justify the conclusion.

d) This answer choice states that most of the money spent on treating disease X during the last decade went to pay for nonstandard treatments. Although it gives us information about the distribution of money spent on treatments, it doesn't tell us anything about the total amount of money spent on treating disease X or the effective treatments. Thus, it doesn't help justify the conclusion.

e) This answer choice says that the total amount of money spent on treating disease X slowly declined during the past decade. This information, combined with the premise that a decreasing percentage of money went to pay for standard methods of treatment, allows us to conclude that less money is being spent now on effective treatments of disease X than was spent ten years ago. Therefore, this is the correct answer choice.

In conclusion, the correct answer choice is (e), as it provides the necessary information about the total amount of money spent on treating disease X, allowing us to justify the conclusion that less money is being spent now on effective treatments of disease X than was spent ten years ago.