LSAT 124 – Section 1 – Question 07

LSAT 124 - Section 1 - Question 07

December 2007

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Target time: 1:47

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT124 S1 Q07
+LR
Must be true +MBT
Conditional Reasoning +CondR
A
67%
166
B
3%
159
C
8%
158
D
7%
157
E
15%
160
148
157
166
 +Harder 146.495 +SubsectionMedium

J.Y.’s explanation

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Superconductors are substances that conduct electricity without resistance at low temperatures. Their use, however, will never be economically feasible, unless there is a substance that superconducts at a temperature above minus 148 degrees Celsius. If there is such a substance, that substance must be an alloy of niobium and germanium. Unfortunately, such alloys superconduct at temperatures no higher than minus 160 degrees Celsius.

Summary
The stimulus can be diagrammed as follows:

Notable Valid Inferences
A superconductor cannot be economically feasible. Two necessary conditions of an economically feasible superconductor are that it superconducts at or above -148 degrees Celsius, and that it superconducts no higher than -160 degrees Celsius. These two necessary conditions contradict each other, so we can never have an economically feasible superconductor.

A
The use of superconductors will never be economically feasible.
This must be true. As shown in the conditional chain, the sufficient condition of an economically feasible superconductor triggers two contradictory necessary conditions, so we can never fulfill the sufficient condition.
B
If the alloys of niobium and germanium do not superconduct at temperatures above minus 148 degrees Celsius, then there are other substances that will do so.
This could be false. The stimulus does not provide any information about other substances and their capabilities to superconduct.
C
The use of superconductors could be economically feasible if there is a substance that superconducts at temperatures below minus 148 degrees Celsius.
This could be false. (C) can be diagrammed as “There is a substance that superconducts at temperatures below -140 degrees Celsius→ use of superconductors is economically feasible.” This is not consistent with our diagram.
D
Alloys of niobium and germanium do not superconduct at temperatures below minus 160 degrees Celsius.
This must be false. We know that alloys of niobium and germanium superconduct at temperatures no higher than -160 degrees Celsius.
E
No use of alloys of niobium and germanium will ever be economically feasible.
This could be false. We only discuss alloys of niobium and germanium with regards to their potential use as superconductors; we don’t have any information about potential other uses.

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LSAT PrepTest 124 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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