#12 - Specific Reference, Strengthen

[meghana]

Hello!

I understand that A is the best choice out of the ones presented, but initially, I did not choose it because it did not seem like enough. Just because computer scientists now have awareness of the math principles underlying natural processes doesn't mean they are going to look to nature for tech solutions, as Emeagwali predicted, right?

Is this just the right answer because it is better than the rest?

[Adam Tyson]

That's correct, meghana, and also because it indicates that there has been a recent change. To support "something in the near future is going to be different," it would help if we knew that something has recently changed to allow for or lead to that difference. Think of it as being somewhat causal - in the past, where the effect was absent (we didn't look to nature that often to solve these kinds of problems), the cause was absent (we didn't know we could do that!)

Also, remember that with a Strengthen question we are not necessarily looking for a lot of help, but just SOME support for the claim. If it helps a little, that's still a little help! Answer A may not be all that powerful, but it does give at least some support to the claim, and the other answers do nothing at all. Winner!

[deke97]

I’m having trouble understanding why A is the right answer. From my understanding of the passage as a whole, natural processes helped explain mathematical principles, not the other way around. Answer A seems to be saying that mathematical principles underlie mathematical processes when it seems to be the other way around.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi deke!

Check out the last sentence in the second-to-last paragraph: "Emeagwali demonstrated that, for modeling certain phenomena such as subterranean oil flow, a network design based on the mathematical principle that underlies the branching structures of trees will enable a massively parallel computer to gather and broadcast the largest quantity of messages to its processing points in the shortest time."

That underlined portion provides some pretty strong support for the fact that the passage is contending that the application of mathematical principles underlying natural processes can be used to solve technological problems!

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[lsatquestions]

I had B as a contender. Can you please explain why it's incorrect? Is it because such variables will still be required in the mathematical models that are based off nature?

[Adam Tyson]

I would say it's wrong because it adds nothing to give us any greater confidence that Emeagwali's prediction is accurate, lsatquestions. It might even weaken it a little bit, if those variables turn out to present a problem for his focus on the natural world as a source of inspiration. Basically, if you want to support a prediction, it helps to know more, and it hurts to be missing some information! Answer B is about us currently missing some information.