Logical Reasoning · Flaw

PrepTest 110 · Section 2 · Question 3

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

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Flaw

The one idea it tests

Picking one explanation for a result while ignoring other explanations that fit just as well.

The basic logic

The patty gives an odd result (nobody picks one option). The top bun jumps to one reason for it. Ask: could anything else explain the same result? If yes, the argument treated one possible story as the only story.

Tiny words that decide it

“clearly”
“so”
“no one”

Playground logic

Ms. Rivera added three new indoor-recess stations, and nobody ever uses the coloring one, even though it is closest to the door. Marcus concludes kids hate coloring. That top bun picks one explanation and ignores others (dry markers, boring pages, a bad spot), which is the flaw.

Step 2 · The kid story

The Lonely Coloring Table

The class asked for new indoor recess stations, so Ms. Rivera set up three: a puzzle table, a block corner, and a coloring table. Puzzles were packed. Blocks were packed. The coloring table sat empty every single day, even though it was right next to the door. Marcus put on his detective hat. "Case closed. Kids in this class hate coloring." Nadia walked over to the table. She picked up a marker and scribbled. Nothing came out. She tried another. Dry. Owen flipped through the coloring pages. "These are all pictures of tax forms," he said. "Who made these?" Priya took a sip of juice. "Marcus, you found one reason that could explain the empty table. But there are at least two others sitting right here." Lulu wrote: One clue, many stories.

Step 3 · Try the model question

Marcus: Ms. Rivera set up three new indoor recess stations. Kids use the puzzle table and the block corner every day, but nobody uses the coloring table, even though it is the closest one to the door. Clearly, kids in our class do not like to color.

Where does Marcus's reasoning go wrong? It

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Case of the Unrented Kayak

A rental shop owner sued his partner. "We offer three kayaks: red, blue and green. The red and blue are rented every weekend. The green one is never rented, even though it is the cheapest. My partner chose green, so clearly customers hate the color green, and my partner owes me for the bad choice." Mr. Whitfield stood. "Your Honor, I inspected the green kayak. It has a small hole. Also, it is stored behind the snack machine where no one can see it." The judge raised an eyebrow. "So the color is one story, and a hole and a hiding spot are two more. You picked the story you liked best, sir. That is not proof."

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 110, Section 2, Question 3 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

Spot the result the argument starts from, usually something surprising that people do or do not do. Then read the conclusion and name the single reason it chooses. Brainstorm one or two other reasons that would produce the same result. If you can think of any, the flaw is treating one explanation as the only one. Choose the answer that describes that move in plain terms, and reject choices describing errors the argument never makes.