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Logical reasoning question help

deliman.radudeliman.radu Free Trial Member
in Logical Reasoning 5 karma

If Larry drives to work in the morning, he will hit traffic. Therefore:

A If Larry hits traffic, it must be morning.
B If Larry drives to work in the afternoon, he will not hit traffic.
C If Larry doesn't hit traffic, it must not be morning.
D If Larry drives to work in the afternoon, he will hit traffic.
E None of the above.

I would like to understand the answer.

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Comments

  • deliman.radudeliman.radu Free Trial Member
    5 karma

    I would choose option C. Would that be correct? Why correct? Why not correct ?

    Thank you

  • shirishiri Alum Member
    edited September 2019 32 karma

    I would say the answer to this question is none of the above.

    The condition in the question stem can be demonstrated as follows:

    LDM --> T
    Therefore, we flip and negate to get the correct assumption.
    T ---> LDM
    In other words, if there is no traffic --> Larry did not drive in the morning. Keep in mind its not just that it is not morning, it is that larry did not drive in the morning). I feel like with the LSAT this is a pretty key point that they won't miss in the correct answer choice.

    I would review the lesson on sufficient and necessary assumptions.

  • AudaciousRedAudaciousRed Alum Member
    2689 karma

    I agree with the other poster.
    "If Larry drives to work in the morning, he will hit traffic. Therefore:

    C If Larry doesn't hit traffic, it must not be morning."

    A correct C should be phrased: " If Larry does not hit traffic, Larry did not drive to work in the morning."

    How is that different from the C up there? Well, the OP's answer C says, if Larry doesn't hit traffic, it's not morning.
    What if Larry is in bed? Or what if Larry took a commuter train in the morning? He could not hit traffic and it could still be morning. That's why that version of C doesn't work.

    However, if we accept the stimulus as truth, if Larry doesn't hit traffic, Larry didn't drive to work in the morning. And in any case, that is true. Larry is in bed and didn't hit traffic? He didn't drive to work in the morning. He took the commuter train and didn't hit traffic? He didn't drive to work in the morning.

    I hope this makes sense.

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