LSAT 132 – Section 4 – Question 03

LSAT 132 - Section 4 - Question 03

December 2010

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT132 S4 Q03
+LR
Strengthen +Streng
Causal Reasoning +CausR
Sampling +Smpl
A
96%
163
B
0%
149
C
0%
152
D
3%
153
E
0%
150
121
130
140
 +Easiest 146.238 +SubsectionMedium

A recent study of perfect pitch—the ability to identify the pitch of an isolated musical note—found that a high percentage of people who have perfect pitch are related to someone else who has it. Among those without perfect pitch, the percentage was much lower. This shows that having perfect pitch is a consequence of genetic factors.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that perfect pitch is a result of genetics. She supports this hypothesis by pointing to a correlation: those with perfect pitch tend to also have relatives with perfect pitch.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that perfect pitch is something that can be inherited genetically. She also assumes that there are no alternative hypotheses to explain the observed correlation—that is, she assumes that there are no other, non-genetic factors that could lead to sets of relatives all sharing perfect pitch.

A
People who have relatives with perfect pitch generally receive no more musical training than do others.
This rules out the alternative hypothesis that musical training, rather than genetics, is the reason why perfect pitch tends to run in the family.
B
All of the researchers conducting the study had perfect pitch.
Irrelevant. The argument centers on whether the results of the study suggest that perfect pitch is due to genetic factors. Whether the researchers also had perfect pitch has no bearing on the study’s results or the conclusions that can be drawn from those results.
C
People with perfect pitch are more likely than others to choose music as a career.
This fails to address why perfect pitch tends to run in families, or to suggest that genetics are indeed the cause.
D
People with perfect pitch are more likely than others to make sure that their children receive musical training.
This weakens the argument by suggesting an alternative hypothesis: musical training, rather than genetics, may be the reason why perfect pitch tends to be shared by certain relatives.
E
People who have some training in music are more likely to have perfect pitch than those with no such training.
This fails to address why perfect pitch tends to run in families, or to suggest that genetics are indeed the cause.

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LSAT PrepTest 132 Explanations

Section 1 - Reading Comprehension

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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