LSAT Explanation PT 25, S2, Q21: If this parking policy is unpopular

LSAT Question Stem

If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Must Be True question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first break down the passage and understand its key components. The passage presents three conditional statements related to a parking policy:

1. If the parking policy is unpopular with the faculty, then we should modify it.

2. If the parking policy is unpopular among students, then we should adopt a new policy.

3. The parking policy is bound to be unpopular either with the faculty or among students.

The third statement is crucial to understanding the passage. It tells us that the parking policy must be unpopular with at least one of these two groups (faculty or students). However, it doesn't preclude the possibility that the policy is unpopular with both groups.

Now let's consider the question type and what it's asking us to do. This is a Must Be True (MBT) question, which means we need to identify the statement that must be true if the given statements in the passage are true.

Let's evaluate each answer choice:

a) We should attempt to popularize this parking policy among either the faculty or students.

- This answer choice is incorrect because the passage doesn't mention anything about changing people's minds or popularizing the policy. It only discusses modifying or adopting a new policy based on its unpopularity.

b) We should modify this parking policy only if this will not reduce its popularity among students.

- This answer choice is incorrect because it discusses reducing the popularity, which is not mentioned in the passage. The passage only focuses on the policy being unpopular and the actions to take based on that.

c) We should modify this parking policy if modification will not reduce its popularity with the faculty.

- This answer choice is incorrect because it also discusses reducing popularity, which is not mentioned in the passage. The passage only focuses on the policy being unpopular and the actions to take based on that.

d) If this parking policy is popular among students, then we should adopt a new policy.

- This answer choice is incorrect because it contradicts the second statement from the passage. The passage states that if the policy is unpopular among students, then we should adopt a new policy. This answer choice suggests adopting a new policy if the policy is popular among students, which is not supported by the passage.

e) If this parking policy is popular with the faculty, then we should adopt a new policy.

- This answer choice is correct because it follows the logic presented in the passage. If the policy is popular with the faculty, then it must be unpopular among students (based on the third statement). According to the second statement, if the policy is unpopular among students, then we should adopt a new policy. Therefore, this statement must be true if the passage statements are true.

So, the correct answer is E.