June 2017 LSAT Section 3 Question 12

If future improvements to computer simulations of automobile crashes enable computers to provide as much reliable inf...

kens on May 18, 2020

June 2017 SEC 3 Q12

For questions like this one, do we presuppose that the answers are valid and look for the ones that support the passage? 1. I don't understand why we can assume A to be valid but not B, even when both are not suggested in the passage? 2. Isn't the passage arguing that, since computer simulation and crash test yield no significant difference in the quality, manufacturers will choose the more cost-efficient one (simulation) in the future? If my understanding is correct, wouldn't answer A just introduce another plausible reason behind manufacturers decision? Thanks in advance!

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shunhe on May 19, 2020

Hi @kenken,

Thanks for the question! So as to your first question, yes, we definitely presuppose the answers here are true and look for ones that support the passage. Look carefully at the phrasing of the question: which one of the following, IF TRUE, most strongly supports the argument. When we see this construction, we assume the answer choices are all true, and see which one strengthens the argument the best. So this is why we assume both (A) and (B) are true.

Now let’s take a look at the argument. We’re told that if future improvements enable simulations to provide as much reliable information about effectiveness of automobile safety features as actual test crashes, manufacturers will use fewer actual test crashes. Why? Because it’s cheaper to run simulations.

Now we need to look for something that supports the argument. And actually, for a reason that is pretty much the one you mentioned, (A) strengthens the argument most strongly. Because it tells us that actual test crashes don’t provide information other than safety feature information to manufacturers. Well, if there’s no other reasons to do test crashes, and we can get the safety feature information more cheaply via simulations, then it seems like there’s no reason to do the test crashes, and so less of them will be done. Thus, assuming this is true will strengthen the argument. Assuming (B) is true, on the other hand, doesn’t strengthen the argument because it talks about a fact, but doesn’t affect the hypothetical. Just because something is going to happen doesn’t tell us what might happen when that thing happens.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.