LSAT Question Stem

The reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument does which one of the following? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Flaw question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is D. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's analyze the argument in the passage. The argument states that skiing has become relatively safe due to improvements in ski equipment, which has led to a 50 percent drop in the number of ski injuries over the last 20 years. However, the argument goes on to say that not all categories of injuries have decreased, as knee injuries now represent 16 percent of all ski injuries, up from 11 percent 20 years ago. The structure of the argument is as follows:

Premise 1: Skiing has become safer due to improvements in ski equipment.

Premise 2: There has been a 50 percent drop in the number of ski injuries over the last 20 years.

Premise 3: Knee injuries now represent 16 percent of all ski injuries, up from 11 percent 20 years ago.

Conclusion: There have not been decreases in the number of injuries in all categories.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Has the overall number of ski injuries decreased, stayed the same, or increased over the past 20 years?"

Now, let's discuss the question type and answer choices. The question type is a Flaw question, asking us to identify the flaw in the argument's reasoning. The correct answer is D.

a) This answer choice is incorrect because the argument does not need to allow for other ski injuries to make its point. The argument's conclusion is based on the fact that knee injuries have increased as a percentage of all ski injuries, which does not require considering other types of injuries.

b) This answer choice is incorrect because the argument does not infer disparate effects from the same single cause. The argument is focused on the changes in the proportion of knee injuries, not on multiple effects from a single cause.

c) This answer choice is incorrect because it is not relevant to the argument's conclusion. Even if the number of skiers has increased over the past 20 years, it does not necessarily impact the argument's conclusion that there have not been decreases in the number of injuries in all categories.

d) This answer choice is correct because the argument assumes that an increase in the proportion of knee injuries rules out a decrease in the number of knee injuries. The argument does not provide information about the overall number of ski injuries, so it is flawed to assume that an increase in the percentage of knee injuries means that the number of knee injuries has not decreased.

e) This answer choice is incorrect because the argument does not proceed as though there could be a greater decrease in injuries in each category of injury than there is in injuries overall. The argument is focused on the changes in the proportion of knee injuries, not on the overall decrease in injuries.

In conclusion, the flaw in the argument's reasoning is that it assumes an increase in the proportion of knee injuries rules out a decrease in the number of knee injuries, without providing information about the overall number of ski injuries. The correct answer is D.