Question

The teeth of some mammals show "growth rings" that result from the constant depositing of layers of cementum as opaque bands in summer and translucent bands in winter. Cross sections of pigs' teeth found in an excavated Stone Age trash pit revealed bands of remarkably constant width except that the band deposited last, which was invariably translucent, was only about half the normal width. The statements above most strongly support the conclusion that the animals died (A) in an unusually early winter (B) at roughly the same age (C) roughly in midwinter (D) in a natural catastrophe (E) from starvation

Short answer

(C) roughly in midwinter

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Growth Rings

Some mammals have growth rings in their teeth, created by alternating layers of cementum. Opaque bands form in the summer, while translucent bands develop in the winter. This pattern is consistent in the pig teeth found, with the last translucent band only half its typical width.

Analyzing the Evidence

The evidence indicates that the last band is always translucent and only half the usual size. Since opaque bands form in the summer and translucent ones appear in winter, the narrowing of the last band suggests a cessation of growth.

Drawing Conclusions

The narrowed translucent band suggests that pigs died during the formation of this band—the winter season. Since all teeth had a half-width translucent band, the pigs most likely died midway through winter.

Evaluating the Options

Option C states the pigs died "roughly in midwinter." This aligns with the evidence that the last band was a half-width winter band, indicating death occurred in midwinter. Other options do not align as strongly with the given evidence.

Key concepts

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a mental process involving the analysis and evaluation of information to form a well-justified judgment. In the LSAT Logical Reasoning exercise, your goal is to interpret the given information about the growth rings on pig teeth from the Stone Age. The key is to draw logical connections from the specific details provided.

To begin, you must understand the scientific phenomenon of growth rings:

• Pig teeth develop opaque bands in the summer.
• Translucent bands form during the winter.
• The last band found was always half its regular width.

These facts can help us ascertain during which season the pigs likely died. Critical thinking allows you to weigh this evidence and deduce a probable scenario, rather than relying purely on assumptions. By evaluating these aspects, you apply critical analysis to determine the most logical conclusion.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving requires strategizing to find a solution to a complex question. In this LSAT Logical Reasoning task, the objective is to answer why the pigs in the Stone Age trash pit have teeth with a particular pattern of growth rings. Here is a simple way to approach this problem:

• Identify the pattern - Look at the bands in the teeth: they alternate between opaque in summer and translucent in winter.
• Recognize anomalies - The problem indicates the final translucent band was only half the normal width.
• Develop hypotheses - Consider why these bands would be thinner. It’s crucial to think of seasonal changes affecting these bands.

Applying problem-solving skills, you’ll logically determine that these pigs stopped depositing cementum in winter, likely due to death, hinting at the pigs dying in midwinter. This methodical way of working through evidence helps yield a rational and supported answer.

Logical Analysis

Logical analysis involves systematically assessing the links between pieces of evidence to underpin a conclusion. To master this aspect, you'll need to comprehend how to coordinate known facts with logical inferences. For example, by understanding the alternating bands and their usual cycle in the given scenario, you can ask sequential questions:

• What does a typical cycle of growth bands imply?
• Why is the last band significantly narrower and translucent?
• What logical conclusion can be drawn from these anomalies?

From this reasoning, you recognize that since these pigs had their growth interrupted when translucent bands developed, the logical conclusion is that the interruption corresponds with their death. Through logical analysis, you discern it was midwinter when they perished, aligning with the concept of seasonal band development.

Evidence Evaluation

Evidence evaluation is crucial in determining the strength and relevance of information to support logical conclusions. In our exercise, evaluating evidence means scrutinizing the details about the growth rings in pigs' teeth:

• The bands were consistent throughout the teeth.
• Only the latest band was unusually narrow.
• Opaque and translucent alternation implies seasonal growth.

Critically evaluating this evidence allows you to realize that the regular banding pattern suggests a sudden and uniform cessation of growth across multiple specimens.

The half-sized translucent band tells us about a likely environmental factor causing it and strongly supports the conclusion that these pigs died midwinter. Developing the ability to evaluate evidence effectively ensures that decisions are fact-based and supportable, a key component of success in LSAT Logical Reasoning tasks.