#20 - Current maps showing the North American regions where

[alee]

Hi guys,

This question relates to the Oct 2000 Lsat, Section 1, Q20. The stimulus is:

Premise: Current maps showing North American regions where different types of garden plants will flourish are based on weather data gathered 60 years ago from a few hundred primitive weather stations.

Premise: New maps are compiled using computerised data from several thousand modern weather stations and input from home gardeners across North America

Conclusion: These new maps will be far more useful.

The question is a strengthens, except. Is the rationale for the correct answer (b) that it merely establishes that some of the 'modern stations' are the same stations used to collect data for the old/current maps, and thus *at worst* it weakens the conclusion since it suggests that *at least some* of the data is no better than that used for the previous maps, and *at best* it has no effect on the conclusion, since the 'modern stations' that are not the same as those used in the old maps + the new data from home gardeners *may still be sufficient* to make the conclusion true.

I'm not sure if my logic here is right. Thanks for the help!

[Steve Stein]

Thanks for your question; it sounds like you've got most of it: We're looking to strengthen the conclusion that the new information will be better than the old. Answer choice B merely provides that "some" (that is, at least one) 60+ year-old weather station currently in use. The age of the station is irrelevant, because it is collecting current data (along with both modern weather stations and home gardeners across the country).
The relevant comparison is between the 60-year-old information and the modern information gathered from multiple sources.

Let me know whether that clears this one up--thanks!

~Steve

[SherryZ]

HI there, thank you very much for your time and patience!

Oct 2000 LSAT, Sec 1 LR, Q20:

I have already done this question twice and I got it incorrectly twice

I chose D and the correct answer is B. Could you tell me why D CAN help to support the claim but B CANNOT??

Thank you very much! Looking forward to your reply! Have a nice day!

---Sherry

[Steve Stein]

HI Sherry,

As you know, that is a StrengthenX question, meaning that the correct answer choice will be the one that does not strengthen the conclusion, and the four incorrect answer choices will be the ones that do bolster the argument.

Answer choice (B) provides that some of the weather stations currently in use were build more than 60 years ago. First, note that "some" is a very vague claim--it just means "more than none," or "one or more." Further, even if some of the current stations were more than 60 years old, the author specifies that the new maps are based on data from several thousand modern weather stations.

As for answer choice (D): the author's conclusion is that the new maps will be far more useful. If, as this choice provides, weather is the most important factor determining what plants grow, this this improved data, which deals with "regions where different types of garden plants will flourish," would be that much more useful.

I hope that's helpful! Please let me know whether this is clear--thanks!

~Steve

[srcline@noctrl.edu]

Hello

After reviewing this question I understand why B is correct: "some of the weather stations currently in use are more than 60 years old", does not have any bearing on the argument correct? In other words its irrelevant. However I do not understand why D is not also correct.

D says that "weather conditions are the most important factor in determining where plants will grow. How does this strengthen the conclusion that these new maps will be far more useful? The language seemed way to strong for me. How is weather conditions relevant to the new maps being useful?

Thankyou
Sarah

[Emily Haney-Caron]

Hi Sarah,

The maps that we are talking about here are maps showing where different types of plants will grow. Those maps are based on weather. The maps are going to be more useful if they are accurate, presumably, so having the weather updated is even more useful if weather is the most important factor. The usefulness of the maps IS how helpful they are for growing garden plants.

[elewis10]

How does E strengthen the conclusion? I had it narrowed down to B and E. It seemed to me that both B and E had no impact on the stimulus. I can see why B is a good answer, but I cannot figure out what the issue with E is. Thanks very much!

[Francis O'Rourke]

Hi elewis10!

The conclusion was that "these [current day] maps will be far more useful [than the maps from 60 years ago]." If weather patterns have changed in the past 60 years, and the old maps are based on the now outdated weather patterns, then it would be useful to have maps that reflect the current climate.

Let me know if this helps!