Logical Reasoning · Inference (Must Be True)

PrepTest 110 · Section 2 · Question 23

Phase 1 (your first ~400 questions): read the guidance, then answer. No clock.

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Inference / Must Be True

The one idea it tests

Chain conditionals: one rule gives a necessary condition, and a second rule gives another way to reach the first condition's trigger.

The basic logic

Write each rule as an arrow. Requirement words ('to be X, must be Y') give X → Y. 'Even a ... if' gives a new route into X. Link the arrows and follow them forward only. Distractors reverse arrows or negate them.

Tiny words that decide it

“must”
“if”
“even”
“whether or not”

Playground logic

Golden Sneaker → honor list. Ten goals → honor list. Zero goals but helps every teammate → Golden Sneaker. Chain the last two arrows: a non-scorer who helps everyone wins the Sneaker, so that kid must be on the honor list.

Step 2 · The kid story

The Golden Sneaker Rules

Ms. Rivera posted the rules for the Golden Sneaker award. Rule one: to win the Golden Sneaker, a kid must be on the honor list. Rule two: whether or not a kid is fast or tall, any kid who scores ten goals this season is on the honor list. Rule three: even a kid who scores zero goals wins the Golden Sneaker if that kid helps every teammate. Marcus said, 'So being on the honor list means you win the Sneaker!' Priya shook her head. 'That is a Backwards Arrow.' Lulu drew arrows on her clipboard. 'Zero goals plus helping everyone gets you the Sneaker. The Sneaker needs the honor list. So that kid is on the honor list.' Owen, who scores zero goals and helps everyone, cheered.

Step 3 · Try the model question

To win the Golden Sneaker, a kid must be on the honor list. Any kid who scores ten goals is on the honor list. And even a kid who scores no goals wins the Golden Sneaker if that kid helps every teammate.

Which choice must be true if the rules above are true?

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Gold Key Club

In a fictional city, a woman sued to prove she was a registered voter. Mr. Whitfield read the bylaws aloud. 'Your Honor, to join the Gold Key Club, a person must be a registered voter. Anyone who owns property is registered. And even someone who owns nothing joins the club if she volunteers fifty hours.' He pointed to his client. 'She owns nothing. She volunteered fifty hours. So she is in the club, and so she is registered.' Opposing counsel tried: 'But registered people are not all club members!' The judge smiled. 'True, and irrelevant. Counselor Whitfield followed the arrows forward. Ruling granted.'

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 110, Section 2, Question 23 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Translate each sentence into an arrow, putting requirements on the right side. Note any rule that offers a second route into a condition. Link arrows that share a term and follow them only in the forward direction. Before reading choices, list what must follow. Then eliminate any choice that reverses an arrow, negates both sides, or asserts something the rules never guarantee. Keep the choice that rides the chain.