LSAT Explanation PT 44, S2, Q17: The tiny hummingbird weighs little, but

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following propositions is best illustrated by the statements above? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Most Strongly supported question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

This LSAT problem presents a passage with information about the weight of eggs in relation to the weight of adult birds for three different bird species: hummingbirds, geese, and ostriches. The passage suggests that as the size and weight of the bird increase, the weight of the egg as a percentage of the adult bird's weight decreases. The question is a Most Strongly Supported (MSS) type, asking us to identify which proposition is best illustrated by the statements in the passage.

To make this information more accessible, let's use a simple example. Imagine three different containers filled with water: a small cup, a medium-sized pitcher, and a large bucket. If we compare the amount of water in each container to the weight of the container itself, we might notice that the ratio of water to container weight is higher for the small cup than for the large bucket. This is similar to what the passage is suggesting about bird eggs and adult bird weights.

Now, let's analyze the answer choices:

a) The passage does not discuss the ratio of volume to weight for the eggs, so we cannot conclude this from the information provided.

b) While the passage does suggest that the ratio of egg-weight to body-weight increases as the bird gets smaller, it does not claim that the eggs themselves are larger in an absolute sense. So, this answer choice is not supported by the passage.

c) This answer choice accurately reflects the trend illustrated in the passage. As the size of the adult bird increases, the ratio of egg-weight to body-weight decreases. This is the correct answer.

d) The passage does not provide enough information to conclude anything about the absolute sizes of the eggs or their effect on the volume and weight of the adult bird. So, this answer choice is not supported by the passage.

e) The passage does not provide specific numbers for comparing bird size or egg size variation, so we cannot conclude which has greater variation from the information given.

In summary, the correct answer choice is (C), as it reflects the trend illustrated in the passage: the ratio of egg weight to body weight decreases as the size of the adult bird increases.