LSAT Explanation PT 34, S2, Q10: Although the charter of Westside School

LSAT Question Stem

The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Sufficient Assumption question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The structure of the argument is as follows:

Premise 1: The charter of Westside School states that the student body must include some students with special educational needs (SN).

Premise 2: No students with learning disabilities (LD) have yet enrolled in the school.

Conclusion: The school is currently in violation of its charter.

The argument assumes that the absence of students with learning disabilities (LD) implies that there are no students with special educational needs (SN). However, it does not explicitly state that LD and SN are the same or that they have a direct relationship.

Now, let's create an "Evaluate" question: "Are all students with special educational needs also students with learning disabilities?"

The question type is Sufficient Assumption, which means we need to find the answer choice that, if assumed, would make the conclusion follow logically. Let's evaluate each answer choice:

a) All students with learning disabilities have special educational needs.

This answer choice states that LD students are a subset of SN students. However, it does not guarantee that there are no SN students in the school. The argument still has a gap, so this choice is incorrect.

b) The school currently has no students with learning disabilities.

This answer choice restates Premise 2, which is already given in the argument. Restating a premise does not help in proving the conclusion, so this choice is incorrect.

c) The school should enroll students with special educational needs.

This answer choice talks about what the school should do, not whether it is currently in violation of its charter. It does not help in proving the conclusion, so this choice is incorrect.

d) The only students with special educational needs are students with learning disabilities.

This answer choice establishes a direct relationship between SN and LD, stating that all SN students are LD students. If there are no LD students, it means there are no SN students, which would mean the school is in violation of its charter. This choice is correct.

e) The school's charter cannot be modified in order to avoid its being violated.

This answer choice discusses the possibility of modifying the charter, which is irrelevant to the argument. It does not help in proving the conclusion, so this choice is incorrect.

Therefore, the correct answer is D.