PrepTest 126, Section 4, Question 8
Larew: People in the lowest income quintile had(64 more words not shown)
Larew and Mendota disagree about(1 more words not shown)
- Achange in the(22 more words not shown)
- Bchange in the(29 more words not shown)
- Cchanges in the(24 more words not shown)
- Dthere were any(20 more words not shown)
- Ethe average income(24 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
A bigger percentage of a small income can still be fewer dollars.
A quintile is one fifth of the group, so we're comparing the lowest-income fifth with the highest-income fifth. Imagine the lower group's average income rises from $10,000 to $20,000. That's a 100 percent increase, but only $10,000 more. Meanwhile, the higher group's average rises from $100,000 to $150,000. That's a smaller percentage increase—50 percent—but an extra $50,000.
Those numbers are an illustration, not the actual figures. They show why the two measures can point in different directions. Larew uses the larger percentage increase to say the lower group became more prosperous relative to the higher group. Mendota objects that the higher group gained more actual dollars. He doesn't need to dispute Larew's percentages to challenge that conclusion.
What we’re looking for
For the disagreement question, I'd expect a dispute about whether the lower group improved its relative prosperity. Check that an answer gives Larew a yes and Mendota a no, rather than a fact both speakers can accept.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
This identifies the disagreement in terms of the measurement. Larew treats the percentage comparison as an accurate basis for judging the change in relative prosperity. Mendota challenges that assessment by pointing to the absolute dollar gains. They disagree about whether the percentage figures adequately measure the change, even though they can accept the same figures.
- B
This asks whether to compare the lower group with the higher group or only with its own earlier situation. Both speakers actually make the comparison between groups. Their disagreement concerns which measure to use in that comparison, not whether the richer group belongs in it.
- C
Neither speaker rules out comparing changes in the two groups' incomes. They're both doing exactly that. Larew compares percentage changes; Mendota compares the dollar amounts. Different methods of comparison don't show disagreement about whether comparison is ever appropriate.
- D
Mendota doesn't say the lower group experienced no improvement at all. Its income could rise while its position relative to the higher group became worse by the measure he favors. The dispute is comparative, not whether the lower group's situation improved in any respect.
- E
Mendota allows that the lower group's percentage increase was greater. His objection is that this isn't the end of the analysis: the higher group could still have gained more dollars. E gives the shared starting observation, not the disputed significance of it.
More Disagreement questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Disagreement questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.