The distance D that a spring is stretched by a hanging object varies directly as the weight W of the object. If a 9-kg object stretches a spring 54 cm, find the distance when the weight is 2-kg. Round your answer to the nearest whole centimeter.

Because the distance varies directly with the object's weight, the ratio D/W stays constant. A 9-kg object stretches the spring 54 cm, so the spring stretches 54 ÷ 9 = 6 cm per kilogram. For a 2-kg object, the distance is 6 × 2 = 12 cm, so the correct choice is 12 cm.

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