PT June 2007.S3.Q17 - when excercising the muscles

Martin01

The correct answer is B. However, I originally selected A because this answer seems to be linked to the premise following the conclusion. Answer A incorporated the information that came after since, which is a premise indicator.

Can someone please explain why A is wrong?

Can someone explain what may be the best method to avoid choosing the incorrect answer again with similar stems?

I always have looked for premise indicators because they are very important when selecting the correct answers. I do not want to be fooled again.

Please assist.
https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-june-2007-section-3-question-17

monica123

Let's Analyze this argument:

Conclusion: It is important for the maintenance of a healthy back, to exercise the muscles on opposite sides of the spine equally.

Premise 1: The muscles on opposite sides of the spine must pull equally in opposing directions to keep the back in proper alignment.
Sub-conclusion/Premise 2: Balanced muscle development is needed to maintain a healthy back.

This is a necessary assumption question. The answer will be one that, if false, would invalidate the argument. The answer choice may or may not be sufficient for the conclusion.

A) This is saying that equally well developed muscles ALONE are ENOUGH to keep the back in proper alignment.
Let's contradict this: equally well developed muscles ALONE are NOT ENOUGH to keep the back in proper alignment.
As you can see, this does not invalidate the argument. Even if equally well developed muscles are not SUFFICIENT for a healthy back, they may still be NECESSARY. I.e. there are other factors at play in keeping the back in proper alignment (posture, genetics, etc).

This is saying (unequal exercise of spine muscles) --> (Unbalanced Muscle Development) --> Unhealthy back.
Let's contradict this: Unequal exercise of spine muscles DOES NOT lead to unbalanced muscle development.
As you can see, the above would invalidate the argument. If unequal exercise of spine muscles didn't lead to unbalanced muscle development, why would it be important to equally exercise the muscles in the spine. The above absolutely HAS TO BE the case (it is necessary) for us to draw our conclusion.

Hope that helps!

Sami

Hey,

I thought I would just reply here since its the same question you also asked me.

So, I think what might help you is to first identify the premise and the conclusion.

The conclusion is the first sentence "in order to maintain a healthy back, to exercise the muscles on the opposite side of the spine equally".

The is supported by another premise/sub-conclusion "After all" and states "balanced muscle development is needed to maintain a healthy back".

This sub conclusion is supported by premise: muscles on opposite side must pull equally to keep in proper alignment of back and protect spine.

So, what's key here is to see the two gaps that occur between the premise and sub-conclusion and between sub-conclusion and conclusion. To see the gap, see the new thing in each of the sentences.

1. from premise to sub-conclusion: there is a gap in the relationship between proper alignment of back and maintaining a healthy back.
2. from sub-conclusion to main conclusion: there is a gap in the relationship between having a "balanced muscle development" with "exercising the muscles on opposite side equally".

Lets take a look at the answer choices:

A. Muscles on the opposite sides of the spine that are well developed will be enough to keep the back in proper alignment.
*Things that I see wrong here: We don't know if well developed muscles is the same as balanced muscle development. Can we have muscles that are well developed but are unequal? probably. Apart from that, there is something else that's also wrong.
* The answer choice uses a the word "enough": we know that there is a relationship between balanced muscle developed and proper alignment of back, but does the stimulus say that having a balanced muscle development is sufficient/enough to guarantee the proper back alignment? No, its says its needed but does not guarantee that it would lead to a proper back alignment. Other things can also despite having a balanced muscle development could lead someone not to have the proper alignment of back.
*Also, lets negate it: "muslces on the opposite sides of the spine that are well developed" are NOT enough to keep the back in proper alignment. Does that wreck our argument? No. We know that we need it, but there could be other things that play a role in proper back alignment.

B. Exercising the muscles on the opposite sides of the spine unequally tend to lead unbalanced muscle development. Which means there is a relationship between "balanced muscle development" and "exercising the muscles on the opposite sides of spine equally".
If you take a look at our #2 gap this answer matches our pre-phrase perfectly

Some take aways:
- be very aware of the language that is used in answer choices when compared to the stimulus: for example if an answer choice uses the word "enough", "necessary", are they supported 100% to what is stated in the stimulus? In our case, we couldn't say that it was "enough", so we eliminated that answer choice.
- Use your pre-phrase/gaps to guide you ( but don't get stuck in the exact wording) to help pick the right answer choice. This will help pick you speed and move through wrong answer choices faster.

Martin01

Sami:

Is it safe to say that when NA questions have sub conclusions, it would be wise to focus on filling the gap between the the main conclusion and the sub conclusion?

Sami

I am not sure it's completely safe. This is because NA questions can have answer choices that can come from the left field/from a place you didn't think of. For example:

Premise: I play basketball with Maria
sub-conclusion: I can beat Maria in basketball
Main Conclusion: Therefore, I am the best basketball player in the world.

If we focus on the gap between sub-conclusion and main conclusion: a correct answer choice could look like "I can also defeat apart from Maria all the players in the Lakers team".

But the correct answer choice could simply say: "I can dribble" or "every time I beat Maria, I have won."

So, I believe its prudent to be aware of the gap between each and be open to the idea that the LSAT writers could use that gap and write the correct answer choices in many different forms. Depending on how big the gap is, in the example of our basketball example there was a lot of gaps, so the correct answer choice could could take innumerable number of shapes.

*Don't worry so much at this moment if you miss questions. Just keep practicing with the right habits and eventually you won't even have to think about it. : )

Martin01

Thank you so much!

Okay. When negation, we want to wreck the conclusion by any means, correct?

Sami

Yes. So if you negate an answer choice and it wrecks you conclusion, then that's your correct answer choice for that question : )