LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to strengthen the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Strengthen question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The argument can be broken down as follows:

Premise: The average cable television company offers its customers 50 channels.

Premise: New fiber-optic lines will enable telephone companies to provide 100 to 150 television channels to their customers for the same price as cable companies charge for 50.

Conclusion: Cable companies will be displaced by the new television services offered by telephone companies within a few years.

To better understand the argument, let's use a simple example. Imagine a store that sells apples for $1 each, and another store that starts selling apples for the same price but offers a wider variety of apples. The argument suggests that the store with the wider variety will replace the store with fewer options.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Will customers find the additional channels offered by the telephone companies valuable and worth switching for?"

Now let's discuss the question type and answer choices. This is a Strengthen question, which means we need to find the answer choice that most helps to strengthen the argument.

a) This answer choice, if true, would actually weaken the argument, as it suggests that the initial cost of installing the new fiber-optic television service will be higher than the current cost of installing cable television service. This could deter customers from switching.

b) This is the correct answer. It strengthens the argument by addressing the "Evaluate" question we posed earlier. If the most popular movies and programs on channels carried by cable companies will also be offered on channels carried by the fiber-optic lines owned by the telephone companies, it makes it more likely that customers will find value in the additional channels and switch to the new service.

c) This answer choice weakens the argument. If cable television companies respond by increasing the number of channels they offer, it might make it less likely for customers to switch to the telephone companies' services, as they might find the new offerings from the cable companies sufficient.

d) This answer choice is irrelevant to the argument. The fact that some telephone companies own cable companies in other areas does not affect the likelihood of cable companies being displaced by the new television services offered by telephone companies.

e) This answer choice, if anything, weakens the argument. If the new fiber-optic services offered by telephone companies are subject to more stringent governmental programming regulations, it might make the new services less attractive to customers, reducing the likelihood of them switching from cable companies.

In summary, answer choice B is the correct answer because it strengthens the argument by addressing a potential concern about the value of the additional channels offered by the telephone companies.