Q1 - A research study revealed that

[ohthatpatrick]

What does the Question Stem tell us?
Explain Discrepancy

Break down the Stimulus:
Given that: we widen a highway in order to reduce traffic congestion and delays,
Why is it that: when we're done widening the highway, there's even more traffic and delays than there used to be

Any prephrase?
How could a widened highway lead to MORE traffic?

Answer choice analysis:
A) this explains the 2nd fact by saying that "when we're done widening, there are many more motorists than before. More motorists = more traffic." If the number of motorists had stayed consistent, our widening of the highways WOULD have actually reduced traffic congestion. But since the volume of motorists increased once the highway was widened, the wider highway is trying to accommodate more drivers than it was designed to handle, so there's more congestion.

B) this says that we don't widen a highway until the population has leveled off. This is sort of the opposite of (A). (A) says that first we widen the highway, then we get more drivers. (B) is saying first the number of drivers levels off, then we widen the highway. So why did traffic get worse once we widened the highway? According to this answer, nothing changed. The population had already leveled off, then we widened the highway. I think people are being tricked by the wording here and 'hearing' this answer choice as, "we widen the highway and then the population increases" ... but that's inaccurate.

C) this makes the paradox worse, if anything. This makes us think that once we widen a highway, we'll have a LOWER rate of accidents, FEWER delays.

D) Rural traffic is irrelevant to this discussion of urban highways.

E) The comparison to rural traffic is irrelevant. The comparison we're concerned with is urban traffic BEFORE we widened vs. urban traffic AFTER we widened.


The correct answer is A.

Takeaway/Pattern: After X changed, Y happened. We need some distinction about life before-X vs. after-X that relates to Y.

#officialexplanation

[didi0504]

Can you explain answer choice B?

Thanks!

[bbirdwell]

Typically, road-widening projects are undertaken only after an area has higher average population level (than it once did).

[tzyc]

At first I chose (A) and then changed to (E)...
Because I think I read somewhere "more" is a dangerous word; even 5 more is more, but it does not have huge impact...but in this case it says "many more" so it's OK...correct??
By the way what does "than used them" part in (A) refer to?

Thank you

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Hi tz_strawberry,

In answer choice (A) "them" refers to the roads.

With regard to "more," I think this is another case where you're finding rules, that are generally helpful, but then holding them as strict and firm. Sure, irrelevant comparisons are a very common form of incorrect answer on an inference question--though not always wrong.

Here however, there is a comparison between before the roads were improved and after--so a comparison actually makes a lot of sense.

[Jakexcohen]

So, what makes A the stronger choice rather than B?

[hyewonkim89]

I have picked A the first and the second time I took this question but B always makes me hesitate a little bit.

Is B wrong because of "leveled off"?

Thanks in advance!

[mswang7]

Urban highways more lanes -> more accidents.
Prephase - more lanes, more drivers, more accidents

A. Matches prephase
B. Okay higher population but that doesn't explain why there are more accidents (unless these people are on the roads which is what A says)
C. More lanes, less accidents. Opposite of what we need
D. I didn't even think we were talking about rural roads here. Even if we are this does not discuss the impact of more lanes
E. And the effect of the extra lanes is?