Question

The minute hand of a clock is 6 inches long and moves from 12 to 4 o'clock. How far does the tip of the minute hand move? Express your answer in terms of pi and then round to 2 decimal places.

Answer 1

Answer: 12.56 inches

Step-by-step explanation: First, when know the following:

A clock is a circle, so the total movement, from 12 to 12 is 360° or 2π.

It is also know that a circle circunference (The total size of the circle on a straight line) is 2π * Radius

The minute hand does a circle on its travel, that circle radius is equal to 6 inches.

The movement from 12 to 4 is a third (4/12 = 1/3). Knowing this:

120° = (1/3) * 360° = (1/3) * 2π = (2/3) * π

So the travel from 12 to 4 is (2/3)π

To know the distance on inches, we multiply the distance on radians per the radius.

Total distance = 6 * (2/3)π

Total distance = 4π inches

Total distance = 12.56 inches