LSAT Explanation PT 43, S3, Q22: Taking advanced mathematics courses should increase
LSAT Question Stem
The flawed pattern of reasoning in the argument above is most similar to that in which one of the following?
Logical Reasoning Question Type
This is a Parallel question.
Correct Answer
The correct answer to this question is D.
LSAT Question Complete Explanation
This is a Parallel Reasoning question, which means we need to find an answer choice that has a similar pattern of reasoning to the argument in the passage. The passage concludes that taking advanced mathematics courses should increase a student's grade point average, based on the observation that students who take advanced math classes tend to have higher grade point averages than students who do not take such courses. The flaw in this reasoning is that it mistakenly attributes causality between taking advanced math courses and having a high grade point average, without considering other factors that could be causing both.
Now let's examine each answer choice and determine which one has a similar pattern of reasoning and the same flaw as the passage.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice concludes that fur color is hereditary, based on the observation that black cats are more likely to have black kittens, and orange cats are more likely to have orange kittens. The conclusion is a statement of fact, not a prediction, and the argument is not flawed in the same way as the passage. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This answer choice concludes that water can cause intoxication, based on the observation that water is present in several alcoholic beverages. While this argument also mistakenly attributes causality, there is no prediction in the conclusion, and the evidence is structured differently than in the passage. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This answer choice concludes that eating a diet consisting primarily of fats and carbohydrates may cause weight gain in some people, based on the observation that many overweight people eat such diets. The conclusion is a possibility rather than a prediction, and the argument seems reasonably well supported, unlike the passage which is clearly invalid. Additionally, the evidence is structured differently than in the passage. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is correct. It concludes that buying running shoes should increase the frequency with which a person exercises, based on the observation that those who buy two or more pairs of running shoes each year tend to exercise more often than those who buy at most one pair. The conclusion is a prediction, and the argument mistakenly attributes causality between buying running shoes and exercising more frequently. This answer choice closely matches the passage in its conclusion, logical validity, and use of evidence.
Answer choice (E): This answer choice concludes that reading to children at an early age should inspire them to read on their own later, based on the observation that children who have not been read to are less likely to develop an interest in reading than children who have been read to. While the conclusion is a prediction and the evidence is similar to that in the passage, the reasoning in this answer choice seems valid, unlike the flawed reasoning in the passage. Therefore, this answer choice is incorrect.
In conclusion, answer choice (D) is the correct answer because it has a similar pattern of reasoning and the same flaw as the argument in the passage.