LSAT Logical Reasoning Exam with
Complete Solutions
Every logical reasoning question contains three separate parts - ANS--The stimulus
-The question stem
-the five answer choices
Which way should you read a logical reasoning question? - ANS-in the order given!
-Read the stimulus--- then the question stem--- then the five answer choices
Analyzing the stimulus - ANS-Get a strong handle on what the author says in each
stimulus
- Analyze the structure of the stimulus: what pieces are present and how do these
pieces relate to each other?
-Reading the stimulus is about seeing past the topic to analyze the structural
relationships present in the stimulus
-There is a range of stimulus topics
LSAT vocabulary falls into three distinct categories - ANS-1. Advanced words: high-
level vocab: Usually within the passage the definition is given
2. Scientific/Technical/Legal Jargon: This type of vocab can cause you to pause for a
moment, you can immediately expect the definition to be around within the passage and
also they sometimes will give a scary word before a more commonly understood
concept "streptococcus bacteria" everyone knows what bacteria is/purpose
3. Logical Terminology: words and phrases that cause problems on the LSAT tend to be
those that are defined in a way that differs from their common "real world" definition///
words such as "some" which on the LSAT might refer to one single example
Arguments vs Fact Sets - ANS-LSAT stimuli fall into two distinct categories: those
containing an argument and those that are just a set of facts
-About 75% of LSAT stimuli contain arguments. the Remainder are fact sets.
-Fact sets do not contain conclusion. Arguments contain conclusion
Argument: define - ANS-A set of statements wherein one statement is claimed to follow
from or be derived from the others
-A set of statements given in support of a position
-Visualize like a house. the premises are the walls of the house and the conclusion is
the roof. or a table: premises are the legs and conclusion is the tabletop.
All professors are ethical. Mason is a professor. So Mason is ethical.
,What is this and separate it into its parts - ANS-Argument
- The first two statements give the reason (premise)
-the third statement is the conclusion
The Jacksonville are has two million residents. Cincinnati area has 5 million residents.
New York area has almost twenty million residents.
What is this and separate it into its parts - ANS-This is not an argument because no
conclusion is present and an argument by definition requires a conclusion
-Fact sets rarely cause a strong reaction in the reader because no persuasion is being
used. When an author attempts to persuade you to believe a certain conclusion there
tents to be a noticeable reaction
When reading Logical Reasoning you should seek to make several key determinations,
which are called the - ANS-Logical Reasoning Primary Objections
Primary Objective #1: Determine whether the stimulus contains an argument or if it only
a set of factual statements. Achieve this by: - ANS--Recognizing whether a conclusion
is present
Premise: - ANS--A fact, proposition, or statement from which a conclusion is made
-Gives reason why something should be believed
-Support and explain the conclusion
-Literally gives the reason why the conclusion should be accepted
-Ask yourself: What reasons has the author used to persuade me? Why should I believe
this argument? What evidence exists?
** Premise Indicators: - ANS-Because
Since
For
For Example
For the reasons that
In that
Given that
As indicated by
Due to
Owing to
This can be seen from
We know this by
*Remember words can be used in different ways. Thus, a word can appear on this list
and not be used as a premise or conclusion indicator/// Also Premises and conclusions
can be constructed without indicator words present
Conclusion: - ANS--A statement or judgment that follows from one or more reasons
-The point the author tries to prove by using another statement
, -As summary statements, supposed to be drawn from and rest on the premises.
-Ask yourself: What is the author driving at? What does the author want me to believe?
what point follows from the others?
-Often reasons why students miss the question is because they fail to fully and
accurately identify the conclusion of the argument
** Conclusion Indicators: - ANS-Thus
Therefore
Hence
Consequently
As a result
So
Accordingly
Clearly
Must be that
Shows that
Conclude that
Follows that
For this reason
*Remember words can be used in different ways. Thus, a word can appear on this list
and not be used as a premise or conclusion indicator/// Also Premises and conclusions
can be constructed without indicator words present
Primary Objective #2 If the stimulus contains an argument, identify the conclusion of the
argument. If the stimulus contains a fact set, examine each fact - ANS-Closely examine
and identify the conclusion if there is one!
Conclusion/Premise Indicator form: - ANS-A conclusion indicator word and a premise
indicator word back-to-back, separated by a comma.
Ex: Therefore,since/// Thus, because// Hence, due to
The presence of the comma creates a clause. The first statement after the premise
indicator word will be the premise! What follows the comma after will be conclusion
Ex: Therefore, because higher debt has forced savings to lower, banks now have less
money to loan.
Therefore: Conclusion indicator word but conclusion is the last sentence "banks now
have less money to loan"
Because: Premise indicator word and premise is "because higher debt forced savings to
lower.
Complete Solutions
Every logical reasoning question contains three separate parts - ANS--The stimulus
-The question stem
-the five answer choices
Which way should you read a logical reasoning question? - ANS-in the order given!
-Read the stimulus--- then the question stem--- then the five answer choices
Analyzing the stimulus - ANS-Get a strong handle on what the author says in each
stimulus
- Analyze the structure of the stimulus: what pieces are present and how do these
pieces relate to each other?
-Reading the stimulus is about seeing past the topic to analyze the structural
relationships present in the stimulus
-There is a range of stimulus topics
LSAT vocabulary falls into three distinct categories - ANS-1. Advanced words: high-
level vocab: Usually within the passage the definition is given
2. Scientific/Technical/Legal Jargon: This type of vocab can cause you to pause for a
moment, you can immediately expect the definition to be around within the passage and
also they sometimes will give a scary word before a more commonly understood
concept "streptococcus bacteria" everyone knows what bacteria is/purpose
3. Logical Terminology: words and phrases that cause problems on the LSAT tend to be
those that are defined in a way that differs from their common "real world" definition///
words such as "some" which on the LSAT might refer to one single example
Arguments vs Fact Sets - ANS-LSAT stimuli fall into two distinct categories: those
containing an argument and those that are just a set of facts
-About 75% of LSAT stimuli contain arguments. the Remainder are fact sets.
-Fact sets do not contain conclusion. Arguments contain conclusion
Argument: define - ANS-A set of statements wherein one statement is claimed to follow
from or be derived from the others
-A set of statements given in support of a position
-Visualize like a house. the premises are the walls of the house and the conclusion is
the roof. or a table: premises are the legs and conclusion is the tabletop.
All professors are ethical. Mason is a professor. So Mason is ethical.
,What is this and separate it into its parts - ANS-Argument
- The first two statements give the reason (premise)
-the third statement is the conclusion
The Jacksonville are has two million residents. Cincinnati area has 5 million residents.
New York area has almost twenty million residents.
What is this and separate it into its parts - ANS-This is not an argument because no
conclusion is present and an argument by definition requires a conclusion
-Fact sets rarely cause a strong reaction in the reader because no persuasion is being
used. When an author attempts to persuade you to believe a certain conclusion there
tents to be a noticeable reaction
When reading Logical Reasoning you should seek to make several key determinations,
which are called the - ANS-Logical Reasoning Primary Objections
Primary Objective #1: Determine whether the stimulus contains an argument or if it only
a set of factual statements. Achieve this by: - ANS--Recognizing whether a conclusion
is present
Premise: - ANS--A fact, proposition, or statement from which a conclusion is made
-Gives reason why something should be believed
-Support and explain the conclusion
-Literally gives the reason why the conclusion should be accepted
-Ask yourself: What reasons has the author used to persuade me? Why should I believe
this argument? What evidence exists?
** Premise Indicators: - ANS-Because
Since
For
For Example
For the reasons that
In that
Given that
As indicated by
Due to
Owing to
This can be seen from
We know this by
*Remember words can be used in different ways. Thus, a word can appear on this list
and not be used as a premise or conclusion indicator/// Also Premises and conclusions
can be constructed without indicator words present
Conclusion: - ANS--A statement or judgment that follows from one or more reasons
-The point the author tries to prove by using another statement
, -As summary statements, supposed to be drawn from and rest on the premises.
-Ask yourself: What is the author driving at? What does the author want me to believe?
what point follows from the others?
-Often reasons why students miss the question is because they fail to fully and
accurately identify the conclusion of the argument
** Conclusion Indicators: - ANS-Thus
Therefore
Hence
Consequently
As a result
So
Accordingly
Clearly
Must be that
Shows that
Conclude that
Follows that
For this reason
*Remember words can be used in different ways. Thus, a word can appear on this list
and not be used as a premise or conclusion indicator/// Also Premises and conclusions
can be constructed without indicator words present
Primary Objective #2 If the stimulus contains an argument, identify the conclusion of the
argument. If the stimulus contains a fact set, examine each fact - ANS-Closely examine
and identify the conclusion if there is one!
Conclusion/Premise Indicator form: - ANS-A conclusion indicator word and a premise
indicator word back-to-back, separated by a comma.
Ex: Therefore,since/// Thus, because// Hence, due to
The presence of the comma creates a clause. The first statement after the premise
indicator word will be the premise! What follows the comma after will be conclusion
Ex: Therefore, because higher debt has forced savings to lower, banks now have less
money to loan.
Therefore: Conclusion indicator word but conclusion is the last sentence "banks now
have less money to loan"
Because: Premise indicator word and premise is "because higher debt forced savings to
lower.
