LSAT Explanation PT 27, S1, Q9: Sales manager: Last year the total

LSAT Question Stem

If the sales figures cited by the accountant and the sales manager are both accurate, which one of the following must be true? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Must Be True question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is A. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the passage. The sales manager claims that the total number of meals sold in the company's restaurants last year was much higher than the year before, concluding that consumers find their meals desirable. The accountant, however, points out that the number of meals sold actually decreased substantially at every one of their restaurants that was in operation both last year and the year before. The accountant suggests that the desirability of their meals to consumers has decreased since the group of restaurants with sales figures for comparison shows a trend toward fewer sales.

The question type is a Must Be True (MBT) question, which asks us to identify the statement that must be true if the sales figures cited by both the sales manager and the accountant are accurate.

Now, let's discuss each answer choice:

a) The company opened at least one new restaurant in the last two years.

If the total number of meals sold increased while the number of meals sold at each individual restaurant decreased, there must be an additional source of sales to account for the increase. This can only be explained by the opening of at least one new restaurant within the last two years, which would not be included in the accountant's comparison. Therefore, this statement must be true.

b) The company's meals are less competitive than they once were.

This statement could be false. The decrease in sales at individual restaurants might be due to various factors unrelated to the competitiveness of the meals. It is not necessary for the company's meals to be less competitive for the sales figures to be accurate.

c) The quality of the company's meals has not improved over the past two years.

This statement could also be false. The decrease in sales at individual restaurants might not be related to the quality of the meals. The quality could have improved, but other factors might have led to the decrease in sales. It is not necessary for the quality to remain the same for the sales figures to be accurate.

d) The prices of the company's meals have changed over the past two years.

This statement could be false as well. The change in sales figures might not be related to the prices of the meals. Prices could have remained the same, but other factors might have influenced the sales. It is not necessary for the prices to change for the sales figures to be accurate.

e) The market share captured by the company's restaurants fell last year.

This statement could be false. The overall market size might have fallen or remained the same. If the company's restaurants sold more meals overall, their market share could have actually grown. It is not necessary for the market share to fall for the sales figures to be accurate.

In conclusion, the correct answer is A, as it must be true for both the sales manager's and the accountant's sales figures to be accurate. The company must have opened at least one new restaurant in the last two years to account for the increase in total meals sold while the number of meals sold at each individual restaurant decreased.