LSAT 104 – Section 1 – Question 03

LSAT 104 - Section 1 - Question 03

December 1998

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT104 S1 Q03
+LR
Inference +Inf
Sampling +Smpl
A
2%
159
B
4%
164
C
5%
162
D
88%
169
E
1%
163
129
143
156
 +Medium 149.106 +SubsectionMedium

In Yasukawa’s month-long study of blackbirds, the percentage of smaller birds that survived the duration of the study exceeded the percentage of larger birds that survived. However, Yasukawa’s conclusion that size is a determinant of a blackbird’s chances of survival over a month-long period is probably mistaken, since smaller blackbirds are generally younger than larger ones.

Summary
In a month-long study of blackbirds, the percentage of smaller birds that survived until the end of the study was larger than the percentage of larger birds that survived until the end.
But the author believes that size is not a determinant of a blackbird’s chances of survival. This conclusion is based on the fact that smaller blackbirds tend to be younger than larger ones.

Very Strongly Supported Conclusions
The smaller birds were more likely to survive. You’d think this suggests the smaller size of the bird might help the bird survive. But apparently this is not correct, because the smaller birds in the study were younger than the larger birds. The author’s suggesting that the smaller birds ended up more likely to survive simply because they were younger and thus could be expected to survive longer than older birds due to age.

A
Among the blackbirds that survived the month-long study, there was no relation between size and age.
This is anti-supported. We know the smaller blackbirds were generally younger than the larger ones, and the smaller blackbirds were more likely to survive. That suggests that there is a relationship between size and age among the surviving birds. The smaller ones tend to be younger.
B
Larger blackbirds of a given age are actually more likely to survive over a one-month period than are smaller blackbirds of the same age.
The author does not suggest that larger blackbirds of the same age as smaller ones are more likely to survive. Only that the smaller ones are not more likely to survive. But the chances of survival among larger and smaller birds of the same age could be equal.
C
Among blackbirds of the same size, a difference in age probably does not indicate a difference in chances of survival over a one-month period.
The author suggests that among blackbirds of the SAME AGE, size wouldn’t indicate a difference in survival. But this does not imply that among blackbirds of the SAME SIZE, age doesn’t indicate a survival difference. In fact, the author suggests younger birds are more likely to survive than older ones.
D
Among blackbirds of the same age, a difference in size may not indicate a difference in chances of survival over a month-long period.
This is strongly supported, because the author says size is not a determinant of a blackbird’s chances of survival over a month-long period. In other words, you can’t assume that a smaller bird automatically has a lower chance of survival than a larger bird simply due to its size.
E
With a larger sample of blackbirds, the percentage of smaller birds that survive a one-month period would be the same as the percentage of larger birds that survive.
The stimulus doesn’t suggest what would happen with a larger sample of blackbirds. If we know that a larger sample of blackbirds would involve smaller birds that are more similar in age to larger birds, then something like (E) would be supported. But we don’t know that a larger sample of birds would make the ages more similar between smaller and larger birds.

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LSAT PrepTest 104 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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