LSAT Explanation PT 27, S1, Q10: Sales manager: Last year the total

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the accountant's argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Weaken question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The sales manager states that the total number of meals sold in their company's restaurants increased last year, concluding that consumers find their meals desirable. The accountant counters this by stating that the number of meals sold actually decreased at each individual restaurant that was in operation both last year and the year before. The accountant concludes that the desirability of their meals to consumers has decreased due to this trend toward fewer sales. In this argument, the accountant's conclusion is that the desirability of their meals has decreased, and the premise is the trend toward fewer sales at individual restaurants.

The question type is Weaken, which means we need to find an answer choice that calls into question the accountant's argument.

Now, let's evaluate the answer choices:

a) The company's restaurants last year dropped from their menus most of the new dishes that had been introduced the year before.

This answer choice could potentially strengthen the idea that consumers no longer find the meals as desirable, since it tells us that the menu has changed from last year. It does not weaken the accountant's argument.

b) Prior to last year there was an overall downward trend in the company's sales.

This answer choice doesn't provide an alternative explanation for the trend and could suggest that the overall downward trend is from declining desirability. It does not weaken the accountant's argument.

c) Those of the company's restaurants that did increase their sales last year did not offer large discounts on prices to attract customers.

This answer choice doesn't address the accountant's statistic, which is the phenomenon we're trying to explain. It tells us what wasn't the cause for restaurants whose sales went up, but we want to know the cause for restaurants whose meal totals went down. It does not weaken the accountant's argument.

d) Sales of the company's most expensive meal contributed little to the overall two-year sales increase.

This answer choice has similar issues as (c). It doesn't address the accountant's statistic or provide an alternative explanation for the trend. It does not weaken the accountant's argument.

e) Most of the company's restaurants that were in operation throughout both last year and the year before are located in areas where residents experienced a severe overall decline in income last year.

This answer choice provides an alternative explanation for the decrease in meal sales: residents in those areas had a decline in income, which could have led to fewer meals being sold, regardless of the desirability of the meals. This weakens the accountant's argument that the desirability of the meals has decreased.

Therefore, the correct answer is E.