On a stopwatch, the tip of the second hand moves 2 cm in 15 seconds

How long is the second hand (to the nearest tenth) ?

12.6 cm

1.3 cm

6.3 cm

30.0 cm

The given 2 cm is the length of the arc that the second hand had traveled for 15 seconds. Since the second hand completes a whole revolution in 60 seconds, it traveled approximately 1/4 of its circumference for 15 seconds. The length of the second hand is the radius of the circle.

2 cm = (1/4) x 2π x (L)

Solving for L gives an answer of 1.273 cm. Thus, the answer is the second choice, 1.3 cm.