LSAT Resolve the Paradox Questions Practice Questions with Answers

Logical contradictions appear frequently on the LSAT, requiring students to identify a bridge that makes two seemingly incompatible facts coexist harmoniously. LSAT Resolve the Paradox questions ask you to select the one piece of information that, if true, explains how two conflicting statements in a stimulus can both be true at the same time. These questions are a staple of the Logical Reasoning section, testing your ability to recognize discrepancies and find reconciliatory evidence.

Concept Explanation

LSAT Resolve the Paradox questions present a stimulus containing two facts that appear to contradict each other, and you must find the answer choice that explains the discrepancy. In these scenarios, the passage does not contain an argument with a conclusion; instead, it provides a set of facts. One fact usually describes a trend or action, while the second fact describes an unexpected or opposite outcome. To solve these, you must look for an active "bridge"—a new piece of information that makes the situation make sense. For example, if a city increased its police force but crime rates rose, a resolving fact might be that the city also experienced a massive population boom during that same period. Effective LSAT Prep requires distinguishing these from "Strengthen" questions, as you aren't supporting a conclusion but rather explaining a phenomenon.

When approaching these questions, follow these steps:

• Identify the Paradox: Clearly state the two conflicting facts (e.g., "A happened, yet B occurred").
• Anticipate a Solution: Think of a reason why both could be true.
• Evaluate Choices: The correct answer must address both sides of the contradiction.
• Avoid Irrelevance: Discard choices that only explain one side or attack the validity of the facts.

Solved Examples

1. Example 1: The Health Paradox

   Stimulus: Over the last decade, the number of citizens who exercise regularly in City X has doubled. However, the rate of obesity in City X has also significantly increased during this same period.

   Step-by-Step Solution:

   1. Identify the conflict: Exercise is up (which usually lowers obesity), but obesity is also up.
   2. Look for a bridge: What else could cause weight gain despite exercise?
   3. Evaluate an answer: "The average caloric intake per citizen in City X has tripled over the last decade."
   4. Conclusion: This resolves the paradox by showing that diet changes outweighed the benefits of increased exercise.
2. Example 2: The Corporate Conundrum

   Stimulus: Company Y recently lowered the price of its flagship software to attract more customers. Despite a 40% increase in units sold, the company's total revenue from the software decreased.

   Step-by-Step Solution:

   1. Identify the conflict: Sales volume went up, but total money earned went down.
   2. Mathematical logic: Revenue equals Price $\times$ Quantity. If Quantity rose but Revenue fell, the Price must have dropped significantly.
   3. Evaluate an answer: "To achieve the 40% increase in sales, the company had to discount the software by 60%."
   4. Conclusion: Since the price drop (60%) was greater than the volume increase (40%), the total revenue naturally declined.
3. Example 3: The Environmental Enigma

   Stimulus: A specific species of migratory bird has seen its nesting grounds protected by new environmental laws. Despite this protection, the population of the bird has continued to decline at an alarming rate.

   Step-by-Step Solution:

   1. Identify the conflict: Nesting grounds are safer, but the birds are still dying off.
   2. Look for external factors: What happens to the birds when they aren't at the nesting grounds?
   3. Evaluate an answer: "The birds' primary wintering habitat, located thousands of miles away, has been destroyed by industrial development."
   4. Conclusion: This explains the decline by showing that protection in one area does not account for threats in another part of their life cycle.

Practice Questions

1. A local bookstore reported that while the number of individual customers visiting the store daily has reached an all-time high, the total number of books sold per month has hit a five-year low.

2. In the nation of Olandia, the government implemented a strict tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to improve public health. Two years later, the total consumption of sugar in Olandia remained unchanged.

3. A new study found that employees who take three or more breaks during the workday are more productive than those who take none. However, the company with the most frequent breaks reported the lowest overall annual output in the industry.

4. After the introduction of a new safety helmet for cyclists, the number of head injuries reported in hospitals increased, even though the helmets were proven in lab tests to absorb more impact than previous models.

5. The price of gold has risen by 20% over the last year. Curiously, the most prominent gold mining company in the region reported a net loss for the fiscal year despite maintaining the same level of extraction.

6. In a recent survey, 80% of residents in Town A said they preferred supporting local businesses over large chains. Nevertheless, a new mega-retailer that opened in Town A last year is currently the most profitable store in the region.

7. A pharmaceutical company developed a drug that is 95% effective at treating a specific rare disease. However, since the drug's release, the mortality rate for patients with that disease has not improved.

8. Farmers in the valley used a new fertilizer designed to increase crop yields. Although the plants grew taller and healthier than ever, the total weight of the harvest was lower than the previous year's harvest.

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: The bookstore recently added a high-end cafe that attracts many people who come only to socialize or work on laptops without buying books. Explanation: This explains the high foot traffic (customers) without a corresponding increase in book sales.
2. Answer: During the same two-year period, Olandians significantly increased their consumption of high-sugar baked goods. Explanation: This resolves the paradox by showing that sugar intake shifted from drinks to food, keeping the total consumption steady.
3. Answer: The company in question has a much smaller total workforce than its competitors. Explanation: Individual productivity might be high, but total "annual output" is a measure of the whole company, which depends on the number of workers.
4. Answer: Cyclists wearing the new helmets felt safer and consequently engaged in much riskier riding behavior than they did previously. Explanation: This is a classic "risk compensation" scenario where the safety feature leads to more accidents, offsetting the protective benefits.
5. Answer: The cost of the electricity and specialized machinery required for gold extraction rose by 50% during the same year. Explanation: Even if the product is worth more, if the production costs rise faster than the market price, the company will lose money.
6. Answer: Residents of Town A frequently travel to the mega-retailer because it offers prices significantly lower than those of local businesses. Explanation: This shows a discrepancy between stated preference (ideology) and actual behavior (saving money).
7. Answer: The drug is so expensive that less than 1% of the patients suffering from the rare disease can afford to purchase it. Explanation: A drug cannot improve mortality rates if the population in need cannot access it.
8. Answer: The new fertilizer caused the plants to grow tall stalks, but the actual fruit and seeds produced were much smaller and lighter than usual. Explanation: This distinguishes between the "health/height" of the plant and the "weight" of the harvestable crop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Resolve and a Strengthen question?

A Strengthen question asks you to support a conclusion, whereas a Resolve the Paradox question asks you to explain a set of facts that seem to conflict. In Resolve questions, there is no conclusion to support, only a discrepancy to bridge.

Can I pick an answer that denies one of the facts in the stimulus?

No, you must accept both facts in the stimulus as true. A correct answer will explain how they can both coexist, rather than suggesting that one of the facts is false or an error.

Should I look for a "perfect" explanation?

The correct answer does not have to be the only possible explanation, nor does it have to be 100% certain. It only needs to be the most plausible option among the choices that allows both parts of the paradox to be true.

Are Resolve the Paradox questions common on the LSAT?

Yes, they appear regularly in the Logical Reasoning section, typically appearing 2-4 times per exam. Practicing them is essential for a high score because they test your ability to think outside the box and consider external variables.

What is a common trap in these questions?

A common trap is an answer choice that explains only one side of the paradox. For example, if the paradox is "A happened, but B didn't," a trap answer might explain why A happened without addressing why B failed to follow.