Logical Reasoning · Inference

PrepTest 151 · Section 2 · Question 17

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

Step 1 · Pre-Question Guidance · read this first

Question type

Inference

The one idea it tests

Chain two facts about the same quantity: one thing pushes it up toward a limit, another pushes it down. More of the second leaves room for more of the first.

The basic logic

Statement one: adding X raises Y, and Y has a ceiling. Statement two: Z lowers Y, more strongly in some forms. Combine them: when Z is stronger, you can add more X before hitting the ceiling. Pick the answer that stays inside the lunchbox and does not add claims about what people do.

Tiny words that decide it

“increases”
“too much”
“more than”

Playground logic

Each homework page adds time for Lulu, and past a certain total she misses bedtime. Priya's help cuts time per page, and more help cuts more. So with more help, Lulu can finish more pages before bedtime. That is all the lunchbox holds.

Step 2 · The kid story

The Bedtime Ceiling

Lulu has a strict bedtime: lights out at eight. Every homework page she does adds time to her evening, and too many pages push her past eight. Ms. Rivera piled on pages this week. Priya offered to help. When Priya sits with her, each page goes faster, and when Priya helps the whole time, pages go faster still. Frankie said, "So Lulu should do more pages on Priya nights." Sharon said, "We don't know she will. We only know she could." Lulu wrote it on her clipboard: "More help means I can fit more pages before eight." Marcus added, "And Ms. Rivera always assigns extra on Priya nights!" Priya shook her head. "Nobody said that. Stay in the lunchbox."

Step 3 · Try the model question

Each homework page Lulu does adds time to her evening, and too many pages will push her past her eight o'clock bedtime. Help from Priya makes each page go faster, and more help makes pages go faster than a little help does.

Which choice is best supported by these statements?

Step 4 · The courtroom tale

The Overloaded Ferry

Judge Halvorsen reviewed the ferry rules. "Each passenger adds weight, and past a set weight the ferry rides too low. Calm water lets the ferry ride higher than choppy water does." The ferry company's lawyer said, "So the company always packs extra passengers on calm days." Mr. Whitfield rose. "Objection, Your Honor. The rules say nothing about what the company does. They only show that on calm days, the ferry can carry more passengers before riding too low." The judge nodded. "Sustained. The rules describe what is possible, not what happens. And the 'too low' line itself never moves." Mr. Whitfield bowed, suspenders and all.

Step 5 · Work the real question

Open PrepTest 151, Section 2, Question 17 in your official copy from LSAC (for example in LawHub) and read it there.

Your answer

How to apply it

List each cause and its effect on the shared quantity, and note the limit. Chain them: how does changing one cause affect how much of the other you can have before the limit? Prefer the choice that states that chained result. Reject anything that adds new facts or overreaches. Stay inside the lunchbox.