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- Fri Dec 20, 2019 11:10 am
#72679
Complete Question Explanation
Must, #%. The correct answer choice is (A).
The stimulus contains a Fact Set and begins by indicating that every Harrison University student lives in either Pulham or Westerville. This doesn't need to be diagrammed but we will do so to help with this explanation:
The first figure references all of Harrison University, and states that 38% of all students take at least one night class; the second figure references just Westerville, and states that 29% of Westerville students take at least one night class. For purposes of explanation, let's add this to our diagram form above:
If the above doesn't make sense, stop for a moment and consider what would happen if the Pulham percentage was, say, also 29%. If that was the case, 29% of the Pulham students would take a night class, and 29% of the Westerville students would take a night class. Since those are the only two groups, that would mean that 29 of Harrison students as a whole students would take a night class. But that's too low, and immediately you can conclude that the Pulham percentage must be higher than 29%, and also must be higher than 38% in order to raise the overall up to 38%.
Note that one common error here was to read the 38% as being in reference to Pulham, but a close reading shows that the percentage relates to all of Harrison. Unsurprisingly, with this easy reading error built into the stimulus, the question stem is a Must Be True. As you search the answers, consider carefully that in this #% question that the correct answer is more likely to address just the percentages, and far less likely to address hard numbers (of which there could be many more scenarios).
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. As noted above, to meet the requirement that 38% of Harrison students take at least one night class, Pulham must have a percentage higher than 38% in order to offset the lower percentage reported for Westerville students.
Answer choice (B): While this answer is possible, we cannot be certain that it is true. For example, if the number of Pulham and Westerville students is identical, then the Pulham figure would only need to be 47% (47% + 29% divided by 2 = 38%).
Answer choice (C): While this is also possible, it also does not have to be true and thus is incorrect. This answer is also suspicious since it address actual student numbers and not percentages.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus only addresses students taking "at least one night class," and there is no information about students taking "more than one night class." Thus, there is no information to prove this answer and it is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This answer is suspicious since it address actual student numbers and not percentages, but in any event there is no information in the stimulus about the number of night classes, their enrollment, or specific day class numbers.
Must, #%. The correct answer choice is (A).
The stimulus contains a Fact Set and begins by indicating that every Harrison University student lives in either Pulham or Westerville. This doesn't need to be diagrammed but we will do so to help with this explanation:
Pulham
Harrison 
or
Westerville
The first figure references all of Harrison University, and states that 38% of all students take at least one night class; the second figure references just Westerville, and states that 29% of Westerville students take at least one night class. For purposes of explanation, let's add this to our diagram form above:
- Pulham
Harrison (38%) or
Westerville (29%)
If the above doesn't make sense, stop for a moment and consider what would happen if the Pulham percentage was, say, also 29%. If that was the case, 29% of the Pulham students would take a night class, and 29% of the Westerville students would take a night class. Since those are the only two groups, that would mean that 29 of Harrison students as a whole students would take a night class. But that's too low, and immediately you can conclude that the Pulham percentage must be higher than 29%, and also must be higher than 38% in order to raise the overall up to 38%.
Note that one common error here was to read the 38% as being in reference to Pulham, but a close reading shows that the percentage relates to all of Harrison. Unsurprisingly, with this easy reading error built into the stimulus, the question stem is a Must Be True. As you search the answers, consider carefully that in this #% question that the correct answer is more likely to address just the percentages, and far less likely to address hard numbers (of which there could be many more scenarios).
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. As noted above, to meet the requirement that 38% of Harrison students take at least one night class, Pulham must have a percentage higher than 38% in order to offset the lower percentage reported for Westerville students.
Answer choice (B): While this answer is possible, we cannot be certain that it is true. For example, if the number of Pulham and Westerville students is identical, then the Pulham figure would only need to be 47% (47% + 29% divided by 2 = 38%).
Answer choice (C): While this is also possible, it also does not have to be true and thus is incorrect. This answer is also suspicious since it address actual student numbers and not percentages.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus only addresses students taking "at least one night class," and there is no information about students taking "more than one night class." Thus, there is no information to prove this answer and it is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This answer is suspicious since it address actual student numbers and not percentages, but in any event there is no information in the stimulus about the number of night classes, their enrollment, or specific day class numbers.
Dave Killoran
PowerScore Test Preparation
Follow me on X/Twitter at http://twitter.com/DaveKilloran
My LSAT Articles: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/author/dave-killoran
PowerScore Podcast: http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/podcast/
PowerScore Test Preparation
Follow me on X/Twitter at http://twitter.com/DaveKilloran
My LSAT Articles: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/author/dave-killoran
PowerScore Podcast: http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/podcast/
