Q5 - The ends of modern centuries

[jasonxu89]

Can anyone explain this question to me. I don't see how the example in the question stem is relevant...

[bbirdwell]

Here's a quick and dirty paraphrase.

Conclusion:
It's no surprise that the ends of centuries are not a big deal.

Premise:
The idea of a "century" is not special -- it's just a random concept that happens to be included in one of the many calendars out there.

Our job is to replace the premise with something that supports the conclusion in a similar way.

(A) is out because even if it's true, the conclusion could be false -- one of the reactions could occur consistently.

(B) is out for similar reasons to (A)

(C) is better -- it says that a "century" has no inherent significance, but is just one of many ways of segmenting things

(D) is similar to (A) and (B).

(E) is way off

Does that help?

[coco.wu1993]

Did this one right through POE and not sure if I understand what C says. Does C mean if we do not adopt a number system based on ten, a hundred may instead mean 70 years?

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah (C) is essentially saying we only care about the switch from 1900 to 2000 to 2100 because our number system is centered on 10. Our system of decimals is based on “based 10”. The word ‘decimal’ seems to even share the root for the word ‘ten’, since ‘decimeter’ means 10 meters.

So it’s basically totally arbitrary that we carve up numbers in terms of 10’s, whether that be percent (literally “per century”, “per 100”) or decimals.

I think Egyptians used a base-12 number system.

So while we think to ourselves, “Omigod, I can’t believe I’m turning 30! I’m too young to be in my 30’s!”

We only think of that change from 29 to 30 as significant because we think in terms of 10’s.

Someone in a base-12 number system would be 35 years old and think, “I can’t believe I’m turning 36! Wow, my fourth ‘decade’.” (of course they’d have a different word because, again, ‘decade’ uses the root for ‘ten’).

They might think of years 144, 288, 432, etc. as the significant years in the calendar because those are the big multiples of 12.

So (C) is just pointing out that our expectation that something COOL will happen when the date rolls over to the next “double zero” is just based on our frequent usage tens in our number system.

What a weird discussion to be elicited by an LSAT question.